Jan 26, 2011 09:41 GMT  ·  By
“Son of No One” prompts conflicting reports on audience’s reaction to Katie Holmes at Sundance
   “Son of No One” prompts conflicting reports on audience’s reaction to Katie Holmes at Sundance

Katie Holmes’ latest indie movie, “Son of No One,” just screened at Sundance and, according to some reports, it prompted an “exodus” with audiences and even some muffled boos. As it turns out, things were quite the opposite of that in the screening theater.

The film also stars Al Pacino, Channing Tatum, Juliette Binoche, Ray Liotta and Tracy Morgan, and is directed by the critically acclaimed Dito Montiel.

Of course, this alone is not enough to make of the movie a hit – but reports that it bombed at the famous indie festival are just malicious, a direct attack on Holmes, meant to ruin her career as an actress, Showbiz411 writes.

It all started with a piece in The Hollywood Reporter, which was then picked up by Us Magazine and, at the same time, received a few more details.

The original report in THR said that the theater where the screening took place was far from full, in itself an indication of the quality of the film.

Then, people started making dissatisfied noises during the premiere – and many left in hordes in the middle of the film, which was described by THR as an “exodus.”

The problem with this, Showbiz411 explains, was that neither THR nor Us had a reporter actually present at the screening, which could only mean this type of misinformation of the audiences is meant to prejudice Holmes as an actress.

“I was at the press screening of Dito Montiel’s ‘Son of No One’ on Monday. No one chuckled or snorted when Katie was on screen. No one walked out of the film. There was no exodus, no running for the doors. No ‘collective groan’,” critic Roger Friedman writes for the aforementioned e-zine.

“It does seem to me that Katie Holmes was attacked by THR and then US Weekly. Do they hate her because she’s married to Tom Cruise. We can’t really pile on Katie for her personal choices masked as movie criticism. We may not agree with her personal life, but that’s another area completely,” Friedman adds.

Baz Bamigboye of the Daily Mail is also at Sundance right now and he too was at the screening THR makes mention of. He too agrees that THR is out to get Holmes and ruin her acting chances in Hollywood in the process.

“I was at the screening at the Yarrow Hotel on Monday and such claims are lies and were penned to damage the actress’ professional reputation. Audiences groan at the Cannes Film Festival all the time but I’ve never heard folk groan at Sundance,” he says for the tabloid.

*Update [January 28, 2011]: Here is The Hollywood Reporter's response to claims they're waging a war against Katie Holmes for being a Scientology member.