 "Variety" magazine's John Anderson described it as a "sparsely plotted comedy" that is "sweet, no doubt, but a bit too slick for its own good".The world premiere of "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" was held on September 6, 2008, at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.It was released theatrically in the United States on October 3, 2008, grossing US$11,311,751 from 2,421 screens on its debut weekend, placing third in the box office rankings.