World

New comedy tops US box office

07:45 am on 20 April 2009

A family comedy is top of the movie box office in North America this weekend.

17 Again features High School Musical star Zac Efron as a dispirited family man who gets to relive his glory days at high school. It also stars Friends veteran Matthew Perry. Critics were generally kind.

State of Play, based on a BBC miniseries, was in second place.

Russell Crowe stars as a reporter who investigates a political conspiracy. Helen Mirren plays his editor and Ben Affleck plays a politician. Critics were effusive in their praise.

Monsters vs. Aliens stayed in third place. The animated comedy has earned $US162.7 million in four weeks - making it the biggest movie of the year so far.

Hannah Montana: The Movie fell to fourth.

Overall ticket sales are up 17% at $US2.9 billion for the year to date.