Tough Guys Take Over: ‘8MM,’ ‘Payback’ Nab Top Two Spots

Violence beat romance at the box office over the weekend, with the grim pornography drama “8MM” and the action-packed “Payback” topping “Message in a Bottle” and “The Other Sister.”

With Nicolas Cage as a private eye investigating a possible murder captured on film, “8MM” debuted at No. 1 with $14.3 million. The Mel Gibson shoot-’em-up “Payback” had $6.9 million for second place.

“The Other Sister,” with Juliette Lewis and Giovanni Ribisi in a love story about two mentally challenged people, opened in third place, with $6.7 million, while the Kevin Costner romance “Message in a Bottle” was fourth with $6.4 million. “My Favorite Martian” was fifth with $5.2 million.

“200 Cigarettes,” the story of young people heading to a New Year’s Eve party in New York in the early 1980s, opened weakly, landing at 10th with $3.2 million. “Just the Ticket,” a romantic comedy starring Andy Garcia and Andie MacDowell, debuted with just $266,500 on 82 screens.

“October Sky” fell from fourth place to sixth with $5 million, followed by the multiple-Oscar nominee “Shakespeare in Love” in seventh place with $4.4 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were “Blast From the Past” in eighth place with $3.7 million and the high-school comedy “She’s All That” in ninth with $3.6 million.

Another teen film, “Jawbreaker,” tumbled more than 50% in its second week, collecting just $750,000 for a low $936-per-screen average.