Man Shot For Talking During Benjamin Button Movie Screening

Posted on Saturday, December 27th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta

It has happened to all of us. You’re watching a movie at your local multiplex when a couple of people near you start talking, texting, or even begin yelling at the screen. We read quite a few movie-going horror stories in our Question of the Week. You know that feeling — The feeling that something must be done. The feeling that the offender must be stopped. You might have even have had a split-second flash of the offending persons being shut up by brute force. But for most people, or at least any reasonable person, it ends there. You might make a loud “shhhhhhh!” sound, a polite way of saying “Shut the fuck up” without having to reveal your face in the dark movie theater. Heck, I usually don’t even do that.

Well, 29-year-old James Joseph Cialella Jr went to see David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the UA Riverview Stadium 17 movie theater in South Philadelphia on Christmas. Seems like the Riverview isn’t the best theater to see a movie in, read some of the hilarious reviews of the “ghetto theater” on Google or Yelp. A family seated in front of Cialella began to talk during the film, so he told them to be quiet. But that didn’t stop the younger son from making comments. He even threw popcorn angrily at the talkative son, but the talk did not stop. Cialella became so enraged that he pulled out a Kel-Tec .380-caliber handgun and shot the father in the left arm.

Then what? Did Cialella run for it? Nope. He sat back down in his seat and watched the movie as others ran from theater. The police were called and arrived shortly after, less than an hour into the film screening. It is too bad that the shooter didn’t at least get to finish the movie before being hauled off to jail. The police confiscated the weapon and arrested the shooter.

James Joseph Cialella Jr is being charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and weapons violations. The unnamed victim was treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and is said to be okay.

additional sources: Philly.com, Fox News

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  • those basterds. kill them all
  • Can I use the phrase 'only in America!' here? :p What's worse here, that a shooting occurred in a cinema due to people not being quiet, or the fact it was on/over Christmas period where generally everybody is a bit more forgiving? Either way, the shooter needs psychological help!
  • At least he didn't shoot the guy in the head, or the kid. It's just a flesh wound!
  • yes, granted Americans cant control their tempers, but at least we know how to use our weapons.
  • Brian Rodden
    A scratch!
  • Know how to but not against who or what.
  • TheMarquis
    You've been shot in the arm! ...No I havent....
  • polar
    Actually, the bullet pretty much shattered the guy's arm.
  • Stan
    Good point... or worse that a majority of posters here are making jokes about the story when it's a pretty messed up story. The guy is seriously disturbed, and a kid and or his father could have been shot to death and here we have people jokingly defending the shooter because of the annoyance of people talking in theaters... jeez.
  • Al Mertz
    Actually, we can learn from the jokes and support comments if we take time to ponder where they're coming from...Many moviegoers have their leisure time spoiled by a rude lot of morons who think a movie theatre is their personal playground. They chatter endlessly amongst themselves or on cellphones, allow their kids to run up and down the aisles, don't leave when the baby starts crying, and basically disregard all others who observe rules of etiquette. I do not feel sorry for anyone who gets their ass kicked for being an a-hole.
  • yes, only in America.
  • Ali
    I think 'only in Philly' would be more appropriate.
  • He should have used a silencer. Beatdown would have been a more humane and acceptable way out. But that's Philly. Hell is hot.
  • What an idiot, I hope he gets plenty of jail time to think about how stupid he is...I mean to shoot someone over a movie is just pathetic...I fucking hate guns...
  • Yeah. It would have been so much better if he stabbed them instead. Or smothered them both with his popcorn.
  • Red_Dawn
    Yeah, but being smothered to death with popcorn wouldn't be so bad. Atleast it would be a very delicious way to die.
  • A_Man
    Part 1:
    That's ok, lots of women hate guns.

    It's not about the gun, although there was a gun involved. It's about people being totally inconsiderate, and some poor AHole snapping. It's perfectly acceptable in America to expect everyone else to put up with crap, to take it and like it. Women will sit and be indignant, insulted, or outraged, but they'll dang well sit and take it and expect the other party to realize that they are in the wrong. The problem is, "I don't have to be respectful of you, you're crap" while maintaining "You better not dis me, that's disrespectful." It seems like it's national passtime -- being rude and expecting that other people tolerate.
  • A_Man
    Part 2:
    Now... if the dad had known that Cheeseball was armed and possibly unstable, it would probably have been different. Sonny-boy would have been shushed, or quietly taken out to the lobby and beaten until he realized he was being rude to other patrons. Instead, dad figured that it didn't really matter if Sonny-boy inconvenienced the people around him -- afterall, they paid THEIR $40+ to get the family into the movie, and they'd be damned if they couldn't talk and talk and talk and basically disregard everyone else.

    Women are so illogical to think that guns are the problem. It perfectly OK if it's a stabbing, beating, maiming, etc., as long as it's not a gun. Guns are evil, guns are bad. And it's OK to be rude to other people. Women, sheesh.
  • Wow, sounds like you have more of a problem with women then I do with guns...AND my point was that, ITS A MOVIE, THERE IS NO NEED FOR VIOLENCE OVER A LITTLE THING LIKE TALKING...But I'm sure you don't know anyone close that has gotten killed over something stupid or because of someone stupid...it would be a damn shame if the Dad died because his son wouldn't stfu and because some Jackass thinks he can do whatever the fuck he wants just cause he has a gun...Bottom line is that the movie theater is known to be a p.o.s so the shooter can't really complain, the shooter CHOSE to go there and watch, he CHOSE to stay in the same seat and not get assistance from the movie theater manager, and he CHOSE to shoot a rude persons dad...just stupid...and you are a fucking idiot, you obviously are angry at women for no reason too...
  • ZODEE
    i would have held a plastic bag over the guys head not used a gun
  • Brian Rodden
    Now that is a hardcore movie fan!
  • I especially liked the end of the article where he planned on staying to watch the rest of the movie.
  • B. Larry
    SUNand3Stars has it, the rest of you guys need to sober up if you think someone should be shot because Timmy said "Daddy, I have to pee" during Button. Or, even, "Daddy, I find Fincher's work to be somewhat emotionally barren" during Button. And /film guy, it's too bad the shooter couldn't finish the film? Doubt you would have thought that if you were there, sitting as you would have been in a puddle of cooling urine. Grow up, dudes. They're movies, not human lives
  • A_Man
    "Daddy, I need to pee". "All right son, I'll take you out, but keep your voice down and don't bother the other people."
    "Daddy, Fincher's work is derivative and devoid of depth." "Son, shut up until after the movie, or I'll take you out in the parking lot and whale your hide 'til you can't sit down. Next time I'm leaving your rude butt at home. Sorry, mister, I'll take the little tyke outside so he doesn't bother you any more."

    We're always supposed to be considerate of people who aren't considerate. When do they learn?
  • Hell yeah, mad props to me...and you...couldn't have said it any better myself...
  • Anonymous
    This fat sack of crap with a gun is a symbol of many things wrong with the country right now. Only in the United States will someone shoot someone else during a movie for talking. And he sat back down! There's a reason this keeps happening in our back yard, people. How many of your were inclined to laugh about it before shaking your head and realizing what this says about us?

    Society is going to shit. Fast.
  • I wish this would happen more often. I think a less well adjusted person would have shot the kid. Shooting the dad in the arm was actually a relatively mild and appropriate response. Mr. Cialella Jr. stood up for all of us who've been bullied by the almighty family with children in screening of movies that are perhaps not age-appropriate for the children in such families.

    Yes, I'm unabashedly applauding this maniac's actions! I think that parents should be able to enforce basic manners upon their children. If they are uncooperative, then it's the parent's responsibility to remove said delinquent children from the cinema. Violence is wrong, and the man is paying the penalty for his crime of passion.

    But I doubt that this isolated incident will be an effective, lasting deterrent to inconsiderate and selfish jerks everywhere. Anyhow, I'd like to invite him to my local theater and deliver me some bloody justice. I'll even pay for his movie ticket.
  • Chump Force 1
    Please don't feed the troll.
  • in a sadistic kind of way, i kind of agree with you. at first i thought, "oh no, the gunman shot up a whole family?!" but when i got to the part where it said that the dad got shot in the arm i thought, "that's it?" granted, that was still a traumatizing event for the whole family, their christmas was ruined, and the kid will probably be freaked out for a long time.

    on the other hand, none of the family members will ever talk during a movie again and will probably be very nervous around movie-talkers, that is, if they're ever able to walk into another theatre again.
  • hear hear
  • Jeff
    Amen, brotha!
  • Jonesy
    Go to Yelp and read all the complaints about talking at this theatre. Talking is apparently a terrible problem there, and has been for some time. This guy was wrong to shoot the talker, but the MANAGEMENT OF THE THEATRE is almost as guilty for not doing more to prevent talking. :(

    http://www.yelp.com/biz/united-artist-theatre-riv...
  • damn tht dude got mad balls even i kno 4 us hardcore movie watchers somtimes we just wanna aaaaahhhhhhh
  • hobbs
    I'M FROM PHILLY!!!!!!! MY FRIENDS WAS THE MANAGER THERE AT THE TIME!!!!! I live in LA now but this doesnt surpirse me one bit!! Philly is a gun crazed city man. A gun murder a day for a year plus 15. CRAZY SCARY!!!!
  • I got a friend out there also. Every time I call there's a siren in the background
  • clever name
    i used to work as a manager at that theatre. not really suprised. its happened before
  • I'm shocked at how many comments are actually supporting the shooter in this situation. I guess you all are joking, but it sure doesn't seem like it to me. If you're not, let me just say that I'm embarrassed to be even remotely associated with you people. And Peter - you didn't do enough to make it known that you were kidding when you said you hoped the guy could finish the movie (or were you?). I understand people can get pretty passionate about this, but come on...
  • Bull
    You can't be serious, can you? How can you not expect a few snide comments from this?
  • welcome to Slash Film. Duh.
  • are you like 12?
  • teebee
    yeah, depressing thread here. that picture with the gun pointing at the kids doesn't help much. guess you all have watched too many movies.
  • A few more of these, and we will all be able to watch a movie in peace. Now just if someone would take care of the cell phone user, and the family with a baby or 3 kids running down through the seats.
  • hahaha the picture at the top of this post is a masterpiece. I especially am a fan of how the little boy is sitting. It looks highly uncomfortable.
  • South Philly, what a shit hole!
  • Geist
    Not everyone can afford to live in the city of Awesome =)
    Well like they say, everyone's always thinking it, this guy just had the balls to do it. Props for looks can be deceiving when wondering what a chump like that would be doing watching a film like that. Goes to show you can't judge a book by it's cover but then again you can cause he does look like the type to kill someone. Oh well.
  • cinemaniac1979
    Good. This should happen a few more times. Maybe then this stupid country will start to remember what manners are.
  • yeah, people dont have manners anymore.
  • I think pulling a gun and shooting the guy is-- oh, just a little extreme. A good kick to the head would have sufficed.
  • yes, you're probably right
  • I know we're all getting a few laughs out of this, but am I the only one who seems to see the obvious in all of this. I would NOT expect this man (pictured above) to want to go watch a Brad Pitt/David Fincher film. Shit he looks like an extra from Death Race. Maybe the guy got really mad because he accidentally wondered into the wrong theater and was hoping to see The Spirit.
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