Up until now, it would be entirely fair to say that Taylor Swift‘s track record for critical and commercial success on the big screen has been somewhat lacking.
As well as lending her name to a pair of the biggest bombs in history through Cats and Amsterdam, her uninspiring filmography also includes forgotten flop The Giver and the two-time Razzie-winning anthology dud Valentine’s Day. Hardly the stuff of legend, then, but The Eras Tour has won so much acclaim that it’s pulled ahead of two certified cinematic classics on Rotten Tomatoes, with box office records also in the process of being annihilated.
Having hauled in $39 million through its first full day in theaters, the concert film has scored the second highest-grossing Friday ever in October behind only Joker, and it’s on course to net the first $100 million weekend since Barbie, which would surpass Joaquin Phoenix’s turn as Arthur Fleck to become the top-earning first frame the month has ever seen.
All that, and The Eras Tour also happens to be one of the best-reviewed feature films in the history of cinema, which we say with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Combining a perfect 100 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes with a 99 percent audience approval rating and an A+ from CinemaScore, it’s clear that Swifties have been thrilled with what they’ve seen.
If you really want to start an argument among cinephiles everywhere, then those marks on the aggregation site are higher than both the 99 and 90 percent of Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, as well as the 97 and 98 percent held by Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. Apples to oranges, sure, but hilarious nonetheless.