Unlimited movies for just under $10 per month seems like a great deal, until it is not. MoviePass Inc. was founded in 2011, allowing subscribers to see unlimited movies priced at $9.95 per month. There were multiple plans introduced to restructure the business model, including unlimited movies, up to three movies per month and one movie per day for a flat monthly rate. The service uses a mobile app for subscribers to check in and choose a show time, and the cost of the ticket is loaded onto a prepaid debit card, allowing the user to purchase a ticket.

This service worked out great for its users, being able to see multiple movies for a low rate. However, after continuously losing money in July of this year, the service reduced its unlimited plan to offer three movie tickets per month and additional discounted tickets. Demand-based fees were also added, and blackouts were added to popular movies, restricting the service to a selection of up to six films that rotate daily. While most movie tickets are anywhere from $7 to $13, this still was a great deal for the subscribers, at least until they were left standing in the lobby of a movie theater, seeing the error message, “Sorry, there are no more screenings today.” Users then check Google to see if they mixed up times, only to find there are still several viewings throughout the day left being shown at the movie theater.

Starting in May, the company was losing millions of dollars and was forced to restructure in a desperate attempt to protect the longevity of the company. While MoviePass has a great concept, the system is extremely flawed. Being limited to a certain number of movies per month is fair and manageable, but being limited to certain films is unreasonable, especially if they are nonexistent. If there are showtimes online for the movies, there should be a time on MoviePass for users to be able to see it. If users check the app in the morning, it should be full of times for movies to be seen that day. It should not say, “Sorry, there are no more screenings today.” That is unacceptable and not worth the monthly fee. 

Multiple times while using MoviePass, users experience errors, which can be enough to make them cancel their service. If the GPS is broken on someone’s phone, they are unable to use the app, which is based off location only. Users need to be within a certain mile radius in order to check in and load their card. If they cannot check in, they will cancel their service. If MoviePass only uses older movies that have been out for a longer period of time, the users would be unhappy that they cannot see newer movies for the low rate and would probably cancel their service.

In the eyes of a former subscriber, there is no foreseeable solution for the company to continue the service and not lose money. Maybe it will introduce a program for its subscribers that will solve all the issues, or perhaps it will close its doors for good. Until the problems are fixed for users, it will continue to lose subscribers who realize the hassle of using the service is not worth it, which also makes alternative movie subscription services like AMC Stubs A-List or Sinemia much more viable options.

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