Lakeview Terrace takes top spot at US box office

New thriller Lakeview Terrace has claimed the number one spot from the Coen brothers on the US box office chart.

Neil LaBute's thriller - which pulled in $15.6 million (£8.5 million) in its first weekend on release - knocked The Oscar-winning duo's new comedy drama Burn After Reading from the top slot.

In the new movie, Samuel L Jackson plays an LAPD officer who disapproves of the interracial relationship of his next-door neighbours.

Elsewhere, romantic comedy My Best Friend's Girl opened at number three, while animated children's film Igor made its debut at number four.

Righteous Kill – which sees legendary actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro together onscreen for the first time since Michael Mann's Heat – completed the top five.

Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracking firm Media By numbers, said late September was often a "slowdown period" for movie takings.

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