So at a movie showing with only a few people watching, I sat down first in my seat. A college-age couple sat in front when it was already dark and all the trailers were being shown.
When the movie was about to show the company credits, the woman in the couple took out her laptop, looked at a few things, and closed it again. However, when the movie started, the woman opened the laptop again, looked at various programs, most of which were not yet in dark mode and intended to work. The laptop was on the lowest brightness. The couple reclined their chair so the light on the screen was even more visible.
When I realized that the woman was not going to stop because the movie had already started and she was still on her laptop, I angrily quipped "Jesus, what is that? Working with a laptop in a movie theater is not basic etiquette!". The couple seemed to have spoken to each calmly and equally calmly the man and asked "Are we bothering you?" I replied "Yes, isn’t it obvious? It’s basic urbanity not to use a laptop in a movie theater." They apologized and behaved in all fairness.
When the movie ended, the woman got brave and turned back to address me and said. "Yes, we were wrong but I wish you had said it in a nice way like we said it now. I wish you had just tapped us or brought it to our attention."
Because of the seeming stupidity and absurdity of the situation and also because I sensed the passive aggressiveness, I was shaking with anger. I said a lot in a heightened tone but the gist of it was about being basic etiquette and considerate not to use devices especially laptops in the cinema because it is not a co working space. And because the couple did not want to back down, I called a guard who serve as ushers. The guard said that I should not have been so angry with my approach. But I explained that it was not an overreaction because the laptop screen is not small like a cellphone and it was obviously distracting.
The guard encouraged us to talk in front of the manager, but the couple declined and passive aggressively and "in a nice way" said okay, we don’t want to make the issue bigger like what he’s doing, and look we’re the ones who are really in the wrong.
AITA for not being nice
Edit removed of the ex to avoid further confusion. Possible spelling and grammar corrections.