Moncton — Cineplex patrons in Moncton were treated to the hilarious and thought-provoking comments of John Forsythe, 27, at Saturday evening’s 9:20 showing of The Gambler. Despite the pre-show’s warning to remain silent during movies, Forsythe couldn’t help but dole out his comedic genius to the eager crowd.
“Uh-oh!” Forsythe was heard to proclaim when Mark Wahlberg’s character got punched in the face for the first time. Nearby viewers shifted in their seats, undoubtedly in pleasant surprise at this new source of entertainment that continued non-stop for the next hour and 40 minutes.
“That guy’s little comments were pure gold,” enthused Wayne Branston, who didn’t realise the movie was in 2D and wore 3D glasses for the duration of the film, jolting back in his seat when he thought “things would fly out of the screen at him.”
“By the end of the movie I was only there to hear more exclamations of ‘yikes!’ or ‘ouch!’; the comedic timing was impeccable. He would say them right after a hit, or in the middle of a quiet, dramatic moment,” added Branston.
Knowing that theatre staff never appreciate true comedy, Forsythe kept quiet while the usher did his round of the room halfway through the movie. The suspense was palpable as everyone allegedly waited on the edge of their seats for the usher to leave so that Forsythe could continue his tirade of quips and observations of the finer points of cinema.
“I specifically went to the manager after the movie to tell them to hire that man as a movie commentator. It makes the whole experience so much more fun on date night,” gushed a rosy-cheeked Tessa Heathcliffe after the credits finished rolling.
As the final chilling note of M83’s “Outro” descended onto the silent, awestruck crowd at the end of the film, Forsythe’s quick “the end” followed by a few solo claps from his butter-covered hands snapped the gathered cinephiles back into reality — a stark reminder that it’s best not to dwell on movie meanings or story, but rather to make light of situations that could dangerously cause one to critically think about life.