After a strong debut on Friday, Act of Valor went on to win the weekend with an estimated $24.7 million from 3,039 locations.  Considering that this is an R-rated feature without any major stars, that’s a pretty remarkable start. Then again, with the fistfuls of cash Relativity devoted to marketing this Navy SEALs drama, anything less than first place would have felt un-American.

New Year’s Eve is the new number one movie in America; but with one of the lowest first-place debuts of the year, Warner Brothers may not feel like toasting their success.  The studio’s follow-up to last year’s Valentine’s Day estimated just $13.7 million from 3,505 locations, or 76% lower than its predecessor’s first weekend total.

It was obvious that Warner Bros. was hoping for Hall Pass to be the Farrelly Brothers’ long-awaited comeback.  Starring Owen Wilson, up-and-comer Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate, and The Office‘s Jenna Fischer, Hall Pass failed to become the box-office juggernaut that some of the siblings’ other films became (see also:  the massive $176m domestic gross for There’s Something About Mary), but was their latest unfairly ignored upon release?  Now that Hall Pass is available on Blu-ray and DVD, everyone who passed on the film earlier this year can find out if the Farrelly Brothers’ latest is more Dumb and Dumber…or more Stuck on You.  Find out what we thought after the jump, folks…

Oh, the irony.  On the very day that Hollywood will fete its highest achievements of the past year, we are here to consider releases that reside in its creative basement.  After a Friday win, newcomer Hall Pass could not hold off holdover Gnomeo and Juliet. After two weeks at number three, the all-ages animated film won the weekend with an estimated $14.2 million. Sad for Hall Pass but it could have been worse: Drive Angry 3D now holds the record for the lowest opening ever for a 3D wide-release.

Traditionally the last week in February is no barn burner in terms of ticket sales.  Sure, last year saw Shutter Island open to over $14 million on its first Friday but in 2011 it looks like that figure will be hard for any release to top after three days let alone one.  The new Farrelly Brother’s comedy Hall Pass led on Friday with a weak $4.6 million from its 2,950 locations.  Last weekend’s number one film Unknown was not far behind with $3.9 million.  Without a strong Friday showing, and with its R rating taken into account, we should see Hall Pass slide down to number three by Sunday.  That’s good news for Gnomeo and Juliet which has a real shot at topping the box office for the first time in its three week run. Finally, what can I say about Summit’s Drive Angry?  Nic Cage’s latest action flick brought in just $1.6 million on Friday from its 2,290 locations (97% of which screened the film in 3D).  That is $2 million less than Cage saw for Season of the Witch just six weeks ago. Details and analysis tomorrow.

The Farrelly Brothers have exhausted any goodwill they built up during the 90s.  They once were modestly successful with gross-out humor that was disgusting but also slightly clever.  Most gross-out comedies don’t go for a bull semen joke, but Kingpin just casually threw one into the mix.  Unfortunately, the glory days of that film and There’s Something About Mary are well behind them and their 2007 remake of The Heartbreak Kid was unbearable.  With their latest effort, Hall Pass, they regain some of their footing, but the laziness of the humor combined with the inability to find what works makes for a film that’s barely passable.

In the new Farrelly Brothers comedy Hall Pass, actor Owen Wilson plays a suburban dad named Rick, who is happily married, with a wife and kids that he loves. But, like a lot of men, he can’t help but notice other women, which greatly irritates his wife, Maggie (Jenna Fischer). Rick’s best friend Fred (Jason Sudeikis) attempts to hide his own gawking from his wife, Grace (Christina Applegate), but she is definitely not fooled by his stealthier behavior. After talking it over, both women decide to try to revive their marriages by offering their husbands a hall pass, which allows them one week off from marriage to explore the single life with no questions asked. When the two men quickly realize they don’t have the game they thought they would, they start to realize the importance of what they already have.

At a press conference held during the film’s press day, co-stars Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis talked about the appeal of Hall Pass to both men and women, who they would use a hall pass on in real life, and realizing the good things you already have. Jason also gave an update about his role in the upcoming feature Horrible Bosses and why he got involved with that film. Check out what they had to say after the jump:

With the Farrelly brothers new movie Hall Pass opening this weekend, we’ve been given some movie related swag to giveaway.  Included are hoodies, gym bags, t-shirts, shot glasses, and a few other interesting items.  While I haven’t seen the film yet, I’ve heard it’s very funny and you should stay through the end credits.  Here’s the one liner:

Married?  What would you do with one week of freedom to do whatever you want?  No questions asked.  It sounds like a dream come true but Rick and Fred’s expectations of the single life are completely and hilariously out of sync with reality.

Hit the jump for everything we’re giving away and how to enter.  Hall Pass stars Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer and Christian Applegate.

In Hall Pass, the latest comedy from the Farrelly Brothers, Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate) decide to give their husbands a hall pass, granting them one week of freedom to do indulge their fantasies and do whatever they want outside of their marriages, with no questions asked. To make things fair, the women assume the same freedom to explore the single life, leading to complications that neither couple could have expected.  For seven seasons now, actress Jenna Fischer has been winning over fans and critics alike as Pam Beesley on NBC’s hit comedy The Office. And, even though this will be the last season for show star Steve Carell, and all of the actors have only one season left on their contracts, she definitely sees the show going beyond that, if things continue down the creative path they are currently on.

During an exclusive interview with Collider, done at the film’s press day, Jenna Fischer talked about how she got involved with Hall Pass, the importance of chemistry in comedy, and how much she enjoyed working with this cast. She also talked about her upcoming unusual romantic comedy The Giant Mechanical Man, written and directed by her husband Lee Kirk, and what fans of The Office can expect once Steve Carell leaves the show. Check out what she had to say after the jump:

In the new comedy Hall Pass, married best friends Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) both love their wives, but just can’t help checking out every other woman they come across. Fed up with their behavior, their wives, Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate), decide to grant their husbands a hall pass, giving them one week of freedom to do whatever they want with no questions asked. At first, Rick and Fred think it’s  a dream come true, but they quickly realize that the single life is not all they had built it up to be.

At the film’s press day, Bobby and Peter Farrelly did this exclusive interview with Collider, where they talked about why they loved the concept of Hall Pass, assembling this great ensemble of actors, having to cut out a scene featuring The Social Network’s Armie Hammer that will later appear on the DVD, trying to determine the point where you go too far and lose your audience, and their desire to do a comedy with Tom Hanks. Check out what they had to say after the jump.

As early as a few nights ago, I was seeing TV spots for Hall Pass that said “This Film Is Not Yet Rated”.  Well, a new red-band trailer for the film has gone online and Hall Pass may not yet be rated, but it’s definitely going to be rated R.  However, like all of the trailers for the film, it continues to coast on the reputation of The Farrelly Brothers’ There’s Something About Mary.  There’s Something About Mary came out in 1998.  Since that time, the Farrellys have used up all that goodwill with Shallow Hal, Stuck on You, Fever Pitch, and the unbearable remake of The Heartbreak Kid.  I want to hope that Hall Pass will be a return to raunchy form, and this trailer looks like they definitely have a firecracker in Jason Sudeikis and a secret weapon in Richard Jenkins.  The question is whether it all comes together or if their decade-long dry spell will continue.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  Hall Pass stars Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, and Christina Applegate.  It opens February 25th.

Throughout their career as filmmakers, Bobby and Peter Farrelly have become known for their comedic sensibility, garnering huge commercial success with their raunchy yet heartfelt films. Their latest film (opening on February 25^th) is Hall Pass, which follows best buddies Rick and Fred (Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis), as they look to revitalize their marriages by taking advantage of a hall pass given to them by their wives (Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate). With one week of freedom to do whatever they want with no questions asked, the two men quickly realize that the single life is not everything they remembered it was.

While Collider spoke to Bobby and Peter Farrelly about Hall Pass during an exclusive interview at the film’s press day, we’ll run that portion closer to the film’s release date. This portion of the interview includes what they had to say about their long-awaited feature film version of The Three Stooges, how they’re coming with the casting, their plans to shoot it later this Spring, and why they think it’s been such a long process to bring it to the big screen. Peter also talked about his two shorts in Movie 43, and how that project came about. Check out what they had to say after the jump:

The UK trailer for the Farrelly Brothers comedy Hall Pass has gone online.  The film stars Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis as a couple of married guys whose wives (Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate) give them a week to try and cheat consequence-free.  I don’t have much faith in the Farrellys delivering a solid comedy (There’s Something About Mary was a long time ago and The Heartbreak Kid was wretched), but this looks like it could be a nice opportunity to Sudeikis to shine.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  Hall Pass opens in the US on February 25th and in the UK on March 11th.

Warner Bros. has released their preview kit for 2011 and along with it they’re providing the first look at Sherlock Holmes II, The Hangover Part II, and Horrible Bosses. There’s also images for The Rite, Unknown, Hall Pass, Red Riding Hood, Sucker Punch, Born to Be Wild, Something Borrowed, Apparition, Final Destination 5, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.  Hit the jump to check out the high-resolution synopses and images from these films plus synopses  for Crazy Stupid Love, Green Lantern, Dolphin Tale, Contagion, Happy Feet 2, and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.

Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for Hall Pass, the latest comedy from the Farrelly brothers (There’s Something About Mary).  Owen Wilson (Marley and Me) and Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live) star as two best friends whose wives “take a bold approach to revitalizing their individual marriages: granting them a ‘hall pass,’ one week of freedom to do whatever they want…no questions asked.”  Christina Applegate (Going the Distance) and Jenna Fischer (The Office) star as the wives.  Hit the jump to check out the trailer and synopsis.