Friday Report: 'Life as We Know It' Squeaks by 'Social Network'
On Friday, Life as We Know It landed on top in its debut, but it was only marginally ahead of The Social Network, which is likely to close its second weekend in first place again. Secretariat was in the show position, while My Soul to Take spooked few. Overall business was off from the same Friday last year when Couples Retreat opened.

Life as We Know It took in an estimated $5.3 million on approximately 3,600 screens at 3,150 locations. That was a bit less than the first day of Katherine Heigl's last movie, Killers, but was decent relative to thematically similar titles.

The Social Network had a solid hold in its second Friday, dropping 39 percent to an estimated $4.9 million and increasing its sum to $35.5 million in eight days. Its dip was comparable to 21 among past similar titles, though it still trailed in attendance.

Secretariat clocked in with an estimated $4.1 million on around 3,600 screens at 3,072 locations. That was stronger than recent October horse movies Flicka and Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story but trailed Seabiscuit by a wide margin.

My Soul to Take crept in with a quiet $2.7 million on close to 2,700 screens at 2,572 locations, despite the 3D premium for most of its showings (3D accounted for around 87 percent of its business). Piranha 3D had a bigger start, and My Soul to Take is headed for one of the weakest openings of its genre and is likely to be near Sorority Row in attendance.

The weekend's fourth new nationwide release, It's Kind of a Funny Story, drew few patrons, ranking 12th with an estimated $680,000 at 742 locations.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole saw the smallest percentage decline among nationwide releases. The animated adventure fell 31 percent to an estimated $1.8 million, lifting its total to a still modest $34.2 million in 15 days. The Town hung in there as well, making an estimated $1.9 million, off 41 percent for a $69.3 million total in 22 days. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, on the other hand, had another crash, tumbling 58 percent to an estimated $1.4 million for a $40.4 million 15-day tally.

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Related Chart

Daily Grosses for Friday, Oct. 8