Don't bite on DirecTV's offer to watch Couples Retreat free (or for $1)

[Syzygy]

This just in: If you order the movie Couples Retreat for $4.99 ($5.99 in HD), DirecTV will send you a "Movie Money certificate" for $4.99 -- but allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Mail-in redemption of the certificate is required to receive bill credit.

This post, number 38 in the thread, is the most significant response I saw:
I thought you were going to warn people that they will never see that $4.99. I have fallen for this scam twice, never to see a cent on one of these deals. I have autopay, and I have followed the instructions METICULOUSLY, but I have never gotten my rebates.

Fool me thrice? No thanks!

I checked Metacritic. This bomb, starring Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman and Jon Favreau, got a 23 score. ReelViews' James Berardinelli said "Despite being mediocre and largely forgettable, Couples Retreat is not unpleasant." And that was the next-to-best review!

They'd have to pay me $10 extra up front to get me to order this flick.

[Stuart Sweet]

To each his own. I did not see the movie and don't plan on it, but that's just me. On the other hand, DIRECTV's e-mail is among the better pieces of promotion I've seen from them, and if you do like the movie (or think you might) it's a decent deal.

[sigma1914]

So, because metcritic & Syzygy don't like it, then no one should watch? :rolleyes: Boy, I wish we could see your movie likings to see what great cinema really should be! :rolleyes:

Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau in 'Swingers' is excellent, but you wouldn't know since you "detest watching either Vaughn or Favreau."

[Syzygy]

Saw Swingers; it stunk. A waste of my (and my wife's) time.

[Doug Brott]

Sounds like a good deal for folks that might be interested in watching the movie ..

[Jeremy W]

So, because metcritic & Syzygy don't like it, then no one should watch?
Yep. Hey Syzygy, I'm going to PM you my movie list for the next few months so you can sign off on it. I can reference MetaCritic myself, but I'll need your approval before I actually watch anything.

[Alan Gordon]

This just in: If you order the movie Couples Retreat for $4.99 ($5.99 in HD), DirecTV will send you a "Movie Money certificate" for $4.99 -- but allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Mail-in redemption of the certificate is required to receive bill credit.

I checked Metacritic. This bomb, starring Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman and Jon Favreau, got a 23 score. ReelViews' James Berardinelli said "Despite being mediocre and largely forgettable, Couples Retreat is not unpleasant." And that was the next-to-best review!

Since I detest watching either Vaughn or Favreau, they'd have to pay me $10 extra up front to get me to order this loser of a flick.

I was impressed with the deal... but will take your advice and pass on it...


...and buy the Blu-ray instead! ;)

~Alan

[spartanstew]

Got the Email this afternoon and will probably watch it this weekend - my first PPV ever.

I love Vaughn, Bateman, AND Favraeu.

[Lord Vader]

Jeremy, you can always ask me. :D

Here's a free one: District 9 sucked! What was all the hype about this movie? Thank God I didn't waste the $8 or so to go see it in the theater. When I visited my brother for the holidays, the family sat down to watch this. When it was finished, both he and his wife, my sister-in-law, simply said, "That was terrible. What a piece of crap."

[tcusta00]

Thanks for the heads-up... will probably catch it tonight.

[I WANT MORE]

Jeremy, you can always ask me. :D

Here's a free one: District 9 sucked! What was all the hype about this movie? Thank God I didn't waste the $8 or so to go see it in the theater. When I visited my brother for the holidays, the family sat down to watch this. When it was finished, both he and his wife, my sister-in-law, simply said, "That was terrible. What a piece of crap."

Bailed on it after about a half hour myself. :nono2:

[ronsanjim]

Movie critics (both professional and amateur) are worthless. Ignore them all.

[Jeremy W]

Here's a free one: District 9 sucked!
I thought it was a rather enjoyable movie.

[Lord Vader]

It sucked. Way overhyped and just plain stupid.

[jimmerz]

Watching it on blu ray....99 cents from Giant Eagle. I like all the actors, Vaughn is a hoot. The movie is ok. Definitely overhyped, but it has enough funny parts to keep me watching.

[xzi]

Saw Swingers; it stunk. A waste of my (and my wife's) time.

I can't speak for this movie, but if you didn't like Swingers, then I can't help you. :)

[jeffshoaf]

What if they made a combo sequel: Couples Retreat to District 9? :D

[Syzygy]

I can't speak for this movie, but if you didn't like Swingers, then I can't help you. :)
I probably would've liked it if not for the constantly irritating presence of Vaughn and Favreau.

[Hoosier205]

...what is the point of this thread? Someone didn't like a particular movie and felt that this was the appropriate place to bring it up?

[hawnr6]

your same metacritic gave Swingers a 71 ... so your logic doesnt make a bit of sense

[BuffaloDenny]

I love when people tell me what to think:mad: And thanks for the context of Swingers; there's no accounting for taste, but gives me an idea of how seriously to take your advice, or not. And you admittedly can't stand Vaughn, but still bought this movie? :confused:

Anyway, it sounds like a good deal, but the thing that sounds the most inconvenient is you have to wait 6 to 8 weeks for a coupon, meanwhile having paid full price for the movie, then mail it in (which us paperless folks don't like to do.) If you really want to give it away, why not just automate it?

[Jeremy W]

If you really want to give it away, why not just automate it?
Because they don't have to give as much away if it's not automated.

[talbain]

i didn't even get the offer from directv. sometimes i think they don't care about me very much ever since i canceled sunday ticket...

[Syzygy]

...what is the point of this thread? Someone didn't like a particular movie and felt that this was the appropriate place to bring it up?
OK, maybe I shouldn't have started this. But my main thought (although unspoken) was that D* is giving away a movie of very low desirability, if Metacritic is any judge of that.

Why couldn't D* have made such an offer for a really good, widely desired movie? (My belief: because they'll make big bucks on any good movie, and won't lose much by giving away a movie few would've bought anyway.) So, thanks for nothing, D*.

[Alan Gordon]

Why couldn't D* have made such an offer for a really good, widely desired movie? (My belief: because they'll make big bucks on any good movie, and won't lose much by giving away a movie few would've bought anyway.) So, thanks for nothing, D*.

Regardless of what the quality of the movie is (and I haven't seen it, so I can't comment on that, but I like the people in it), it will probably sell the most Blu-ray and DVD copies this week... as well as being rented the most. Sure, "The Time Traveller's Wife" might win out, but I suspect that CR will be the one to win out. I also suspect that DirecTV CR will probably be the top PPV movie this week.

While I will be BUYING the Blu-ray, and I WON'T be getting the PPV movie, I'd like to thank DirecTV for the good deal. :)

~Alan

[Hoosier205]

OK, maybe I shouldn't have started this. But my main thought (although unspoken) was that D* is giving away a movie of very low desirability, if Metacritic is any judge of that.

Why couldn't D* have made such an offer for a really good, widely desired movie? (My belief: because they'll make big bucks on any good movie, and won't lose much by giving away a movie few would've bought anyway.) So, thanks for nothing, D*.

You seem to really be having a hard time letting this sink in. What is undesirable to you, may be desirable to someone else. What is desirable to you, may be undesirable to others.

On top of that...your idea of film success is narrow. Different people measure success differently. While you may point to low ratings and reviews for Couples Retreat, the movie did very well financially. It had a budget of $60 million and so far has made more than $168 million. Plenty of people bought tickets to the film, bought the DVD, and bought the Blu-ray. Michael Bay believes Transformers 2 is a highly successful film. It was critically panned, but it had a budget of $200 million and made more than $835 million.

Stop worrying about whether or not you think the movie offered in this deal from DirecTV was good. DirecTV made their own decision.

[Syzygy]

... I also suspect that DirecTV's Couples Retreat will probably be the top PPV movie this week...
Well, that's a no-brainer, since D* is giving out credit vouchers to those who order it!

[Alan Gordon]

Well, that's a no-brainer, since D* is giving out credit vouchers to those who order it!

Sorry!

I should have said WOULD HAVE BEEN...

~Alan

[sigma1914]

Ok, I checked the OPs beloved Metacritic & it is a joke...I just checked The Boondock Saints. It got a 44, unreal & too low, IMO.

[Syzygy]

Metacritic: It may be a generational thing. I'm a geezer. Critics are, for the most part, serious folk. People who like movies that critics pan are probably young (and might I suggest not so serious?).

[HarleyD]

If you really want to give it away, why not just automate it?

Because one of the goals of a marketing campaign is to measure the response.


Did the subscribers respond to emails?
How many of those emailed responded?
How does this compare with direct mailing promotions?
Can we save a bunch of paper and postage by staging a marketing push that is as effective as direct mailings or even moreso by email?


It may not have anything at all to do with them caring whether or not you watch Couples Retreat. In fact it is entirely likely that it does not.

[Hoosier205]

Metacritic: It may be a generational thing. I'm a geezer. Critics are, for the most part, serious folk. People who like movies that critics pan are probably young (and might I suggest not so serious?).

Actually, some movies that were not considered to be very successful when the first came out are now considered classics. It's a Wonderful Life is one that comes to mind. There are many others.

[Alan Gordon]

Metacritic: It may be a generational thing. I'm a geezer. Critics are, for the most part, serious folk. People who like movies that critics pan are probably young (and might I suggest not so serious?).

SERIOUSLY?!?!

I know very few "geezers" (as you put it) who care what critics think. They give them less credence than I do.

I've seen great movies that critics hated, I've seen bad movies critics loved, and vice versa.

I'm not saying they're wrong about "Couples Retreat" as I haven't seen it, but I'm sure as heck not going to form a conclusion due to what critics say.

Maybe it's a "geezer" thing, but I like making up my own mind, and not believing everything I'm told.

~Alan

[islesfan]

This just in: If you order the movie Couples Retreat for $4.99 ($5.99 in HD), DirecTV will send you a "Movie Money certificate" for $4.99 -- but allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Mail-in redemption of the certificate is required to receive bill credit.

I checked Metacritic. This bomb, starring Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman and Jon Favreau, got a 23 score. ReelViews' James Berardinelli said "Despite being mediocre and largely forgettable, Couples Retreat is not unpleasant." And that was the next-to-best review!

Since I detest watching either Vaughn or Favreau, they'd have to pay me $10 extra up front to get me to order this loser of a flick.

I thought you were going to warn people that they will never see that $4.99. I have fallen for this scam twice, never to see a cent on one of these deals. I have autopay, and I have followed the instructions METICULOUSLY, but I have never gotten my rebates.

Fool me thrice? No thanks!

[tcusta00]

People who like movies that critics pan are probably young (and might I suggest not so serious?).

Well that's just a blanket insult. :rolleyes:

Don't know why I took that bait but I did. :sure:

[spartanstew]

So, thanks for nothing, D*.

Whatever happened to it's the thought that counts? Geezer is right. Your kids and grandkids must love you at xmas time.

[susanandmark]

You seem to really be having a hard time letting this sink in. What is undesirable to you, may be desirable to someone else. What is desirable to you, may be undesirable to others.

Just stumbled across this thread and clicked on it because I hadn't heard of the offer, and found the above quote hugely ironic as that was exactly what I was trying to say, over and over, to the same poster in this thread: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=172243.

(I wouldn't normally take a thread off topic, but this one was already pretty abstract in terms of DirecTV news/views.)

[Hoosier205]

Just stumbled across this thread and clicked on it because I hadn't heard of the offer, and found the above quote hugely ironic as that was exactly what I was trying to say, over and over, to the same poster in this thread: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=172243.

(I wouldn't normally take a thread off topic, but this one was already pretty abstract in terms of DirecTV news/views.)

Don't worry about Susan. She is just upset about DirecTV not carrying a lowly subchannel she already has OTA.

[dcowboy7]

"Tootbrush in the toilet bowl" from seinfeld is in this....she saves it.

[compnurd]

The wife and I thought it was a great movie, laughed our asses off

[Altcool]

So where can one find the redemption information. I went on http://www.directv.com/cinema and found nothing about the offer

[Syzygy]

I thought you [Syzygy] were going to warn people that they will never see that $4.99. I have fallen for this scam twice, never to see a cent on one of these deals. I have autopay, and I have followed the instructions METICULOUSLY, but I have never gotten my rebates.

Fool me thrice? No thanks!
Thanks for that info! I've quoted you in my original post, #1, as well. I hadn't thought it might be a scam.

[cebbigh]

Got a call on it and passed before I saw this thread. I tend not to ever take "free" offers over the phone just because I've been burned in the past. Not by Directv but I just don't trust any "free" offers. They usually cost too much.

[susanandmark]

I've never not had a valid offer honored by DirecTV (including a previous free PPV) but they make you jump through some hoops (mailing in, etc.), probably in hopes you'll give up.

I will say I HATE those sales calls for "special offers" from DirecTV which have become ubiquitous of late. Especially since most of the offers aren't really that special. Two PPV movies for the price of one? Umm, no thanks. I don't even want the one. It doesn't help that they don't even get the good Indian call centers to make the calls. I'm sick of talking to barely understandable guys named "Tom" whose accent is thicker than most taxi drivers in Mumbai.

[gregftlaud]

I watched the movie today. Thought it was REALLY funny.