Spanish distributor fined for poster promoting Tom Hanks’ ‘Larry Crowne’

Tom Hanks’ Larry Crowne with Hanks and Julia Roberts was released in the U.S. during the summer and is finally hitting theaters overseas. In Spain, the film’s distributor Tripictures, used the film’s U.S. poster to promote the film, which features Hanks and Roberts on a motorcycle without helmets. Tripictures was actually fined for the poster because the government claimed it promoted reckless driving.

The company was given a traffic fine of 30,000 euros, which is about $41,500, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Cinemania reports that the company at first believed it was a joke. The company made a point to say that the actors do wear helmets in the film, but that was not enough to stop the fine.

In 1985, Spain instituted a law that banned advertisements from promoting reckless driving. Fines are also given to celebrities if they promote the image of poor driving. One example came last year, when singer Shakira drove through Barcelona on a motorcycle without a helmet in one of her music videos, according to The Telegraph.

Larry Crowne was not a success in the U.S. and worldwide has only grossed $52 million, according to IMDb. The film was also not a critical success.