Box office: ‘Think Like A Man Too’ too much for off-key ‘Jersey Boys’

The domestic box-office battle of the “man” versus “the boys” wasn’t even close.

“Think Like A Man Too,” the raucous sequel to the 2012 comedy that was a riff on Steve Harvey’s bestseller, is off to a fast start, scoring an estimated $12.2 million in ticket sales Friday while solidly beating out the weekend’s other major new entry, “Jersey Boys.”

The success of “Think Like A Man Too” marks another victory for its star, Kevin Hart. The loud-mouthed comedian has already had two hits this year, “Ride Along” and “About Last Night.” Audiences turned out for Hart’s latest despite unenthusiastic reviews.

“Jersey Boys,” Clint Eastwood’s more dramatic version of the popular stage musical that follows the rise and troubles of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, opened on a sour note with $4.64 million, landing it in fourth place. Critics seemed largely split about the film, which was produced and directed by the Oscar winner.

Last week’s top film, “22 Jump Street” fell 63% to come in at second place with an estimated $9.4 million. The raunchy caper film starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as undercover cops in college took in $60 million last weekend and is expected to pass $100 million by the end of the weekend.

“How to Train Your Dragon 2,” which finished in second place last week, came in third place with $7.6 million, a decline of more than 59%, to land in third place. Angelina Jolie’s fairy-tale reboot “Maleficent” drew $4 million to stand in fifth place.

Twitter: @GeBraxton