I’m sorry. To all the friends, family and strangers I met in line at the movie theater to whom I recommended MoviePass, I offer my apology. It was great in the beginning, but never have I seen a company implode as thoroughly as this one has.
When I signed up, it was under the premise that I could watch “one movie/day.” There were no other restrictions. It was such great fun all winter – I saw movies I would have never seen otherwise; I went to great movies multiple times; I could go at whatever time I liked, and it was as easy as using a credit card. Since then, every time I receive a communication from MoviePass it is to make the service more restrictive – without grandfathering in those of us who purchased an annual pass. Now there are only dinnertime options or 10pm (no prime evening showings), you can’t see a movie more than once, new releases are embargoed for two weeks and you have to photograph and upload your ticket stub – all providing that the app is working and hasn’t been shut down due to default or design on MoviePass’ end. I could never recommend them today.
MoviePass will be a business school case study someday – in my class if no other – that highlights the importance of a realistic financial plan and the importance of taking care of your early customers. If they had changed their terms but allowed us to have the original conditions of our contract, I could understand the need to do so. If they had changed the rules once and not grandfathered us in, I could maybe even stomach that. But repeatedly diminishing what we originally signed up for – under the guise of “terms and conditions may change” – is just poor, poor business practice and akin to bait and switch.
I gave MoviePass a free pass after their first two reductions in service, but their latest has sent me over the edge. To all my friends and family, I now say: “Take a pass on MoviePass”. What you sign up for today is likely not what you will receive tomorrow.
