‘The Boss’: Viewers want what they want

It's fairly clear that most people pay little attention to critics. The range of differing opinions between critics and general audiences is often great.

Let's take Rotten Tomatoes as an example. RT is unique in that it gauges both critical and audience reactions, posting them side by side. And while it still hasn't opened, the new Melissa McCarthy vehicle "The Boss" is already showing a vast gap between what critics are thinking and what audiences are expecting.

Of the nine critical opinions regarding "The Boss," only one is termed not "rotten." And that's from Forbes magazine, which has this to say: " 'The Boss' is just a rock-solid and genuinely funny comic vehicle from one of our biggest/brightest comedic movie stars." The others, from such diverse publications as USA Today and The Village Voice, are negative in the extreme.

Example: From USA Today: "A free-for-all of inappropriate language unsuitable for even the most crass boy's-club boardroom, 'The Boss' can't quite decide if warming the heart or obliterating it with insults is the end goal."

Yet when RT gauges audience expectations (from 12,356 respondents), "The Boss" earns a 94 percent "want to see" rating.

Maybe Justin Chang, the critic from Variety, explains this contrast best: "McCarthy remains one of the funniest actors alive," which is a sentiment even the most acerbic critic might agree with. Unfortunately, Chang continues, calling McCarthy's talent "a truth that frequently rescues, but doesn't really redeem, this sloppy comedy."

Expect it to make millions.