'Exorcism' tops the box

LOS ANGELES -- "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" bedeviled its competition in its box-office debut this weekend, hauling in $30.2 million with its mix of courtroom drama and classic horror.\nThe film, inspired by true events, follows a Catholic priest on trial for negligent homicide following the death of a satanically possessed 19-year-old.\nIts PG-13 rating and cast, including Oscar nominees Tom Wilkinson, Laura Linney and Shohreh Aghdashloo, helped give it wide appeal, bumping last week's newcomer, "Transporter 2," from the No. 1 spot, according to studio estimates.\nOverall revenue for this weekend's top 12 films was up 16 percent from the same period last year, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.\n"Transporter 2" fell to third place with three-day estimated ticket sales of $7.2 million. The action sequel dropped below "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," which held on to the No. 2 spot in its fourth week with $7.9 million, boosting its total domestic gross to $82.3 million.\nThe critically panned "The Man," a buddy comedy that throws together federal agent Samuel L. Jackson and dental supply salesman Eugene Levy to solve a murder, opened in sixth place with $4.0 million.\n"An Unfinished Life," which stars Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Lopez in the story of a rancher reluctantly reunited with his estranged daughter-in-law, opened well in limited release, with $1.0 million and a per theater average of $7,264.\nMeanwhile, "The Constant Gardener," starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz and based on a John le Carre novel, moved to fourth place in its second week. The film took in $4.8 million, bringing its total to $19.1 million, while playing on fewer than half the number of screens given to "The Exorcism of Emily Rose"