The United States of Leland

Name: The United States of Leland
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: April 2, 2004
Duration: 108 min
Rating: 37
Cast: Don Cheadle, Kevin Spacey, Ryan Gosling

2004

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Ratings

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7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Ratings

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The United States Of Leland

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Classics | Release Date: April 2, 2004 | R

Starring: Don Cheadle, Kevin Spacey, Ryan Gosling

Summary: On an ordinary school day in California, a seemingly ordinary student named Leland Fitzgerald (Gosling) commits a devastating, inexplicable crime...and changes everything forever...not only for Leland but his family, friends and the teacher who becomes obsessed with trying to figure out why. (Paramount Classics)

Director: Matthew Ryan Hoge

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 108 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Eric Campos

Thoroughly entertaining and will possibly get you thinking about certain choices you've made in your life. Read full review

Kirk Honeycutt

A complex and often compelling melodrama, at times almost verging on soap opera. Read full review

Roger Ebert

I believe it is as cruel and senseless as the killings in "Elephant," but while that film was chillingly objective, this one seems to be on everybody's side. It's a moral muddle. Read full review

Empire Anna Smith

It's poetic, hypnotic and well-performed, but fails to either draw out its characters with conviction or fully draw its audience in. Read full review

Kevin Thomas

An ambitious and intelligent film probing that chronic contemporary phenomenon, the seemingly senseless crime, but it is ultimately unsatisfying for all its efforts and various pluses. Read full review

Liam Lacey

The United States of Leland has a resonance of "Elephant" without the visual poetry or structural sophistication, or "American Beauty" without the leavening comedy, but it's neither an insightful nor well-made film. Read full review

Ruthe Stein

As bad as its title. Read full review

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User Reviews

DanniRaw

Dec 17, 2014

I saw this movie when it first came out, I thought it was great. So many talented actors, good plot and with just the right amount of drama and suspense. It is a drama, but I was so intrigued to know the reasoning behind Gosling's character Leland's life changing action when it seemed soI saw this movie when it first came out, I thought it was great. So many talented actors, good plot and with just the right amount of drama and suspense. It is a drama, but I was so intrigued to know the reasoning behind Gosling's character Leland's life changing action when it seemed so unbelievably heinous...but the outcome was in a strange way understandable and that made me enjoy this movie so much. Although, I am very disappointed that the writer/director Matthew Ryan Hoge has not put another amazing movie like this one out since. I hope he does because I truly believe this was an extremely underrated piece of work. Wonderful job Matthew R. Hoge!!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AndrewD.

Dec 28, 2005

Absolutly fantastic film....will make you think

0 of 1 users found this helpful

folk_tylore

Sep 30, 2010

Ryan Gosling is drawn to flawed characters; Believer, Fracture, the Slaughter Rule, Lars and the Real Girl, Stay, all these movies portray a flawed character but one that the audience can sympathize with U.S. of Leland is no different a very thought provoking movie, with quality acting, andRyan Gosling is drawn to flawed characters; Believer, Fracture, the Slaughter Rule, Lars and the Real Girl, Stay, all these movies portray a flawed character but one that the audience can sympathize with U.S. of Leland is no different a very thought provoking movie, with quality acting, and an excellent original soundtrack by Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate. Outside of the story and acting there are no other exceptional film making characteristics.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Meth-dude

Jul 11, 2016

The acting was good, the story was interesting and the movie was overall pretty good. Although the movie is not perfect, there are a few plot holes here and there and the ending was predictable, it still is a great movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Tss5078

Mar 16, 2014

Ryan Gosling stars in what many consider to be his breakout role, playing a modern day Holden Caufield, who has committed a heinous crime. While the story has some tremendous performances, it really lacks any substance, rehashing the events of the past week, over and over again. We knowRyan Gosling stars in what many consider to be his breakout role, playing a modern day Holden Caufield, who has committed a heinous crime. While the story has some tremendous performances, it really lacks any substance, rehashing the events of the past week, over and over again. We know right from the beginning of the film, that Leland killed a retard boy, what we don't know is why. The focus of the film is discovering what lead this highly intelligent, son of a celebrity, to commit such an act. The film has a huge cast of celebrities, that include Don Cheadle, Kevin Spacey, Chris Klein, and Michelle Williams, all of whom are as good as you would expect. What the film has in talent, it lacks in substance, as it's really just a whole lot of Leland talking in code. The writers go out of their way to show Leland as this deep, emotionless kid, that's been trapped inside his own mind his entire life. As the film goes on, the more Leland opens up. The writers paint the portrait of this kid and show you ever aspect of his life, in the hopes that you will figure out his true motivation before it comes out. The result is a slow moving film that causes the audience to gradually lose interest as time goes on. There is no doubt the Ryan Gosling was spectacular and deserves every good thing said about his performance, but the story seems to move slowly and in circles. The writers made it much more in depth than it had to be and most audiences will be turned off by it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

HollyC.

Dec 27, 2005

I understand the bad reviews of this film, as the dialogue, various outskirt characters and plot points fell apart. This film feels very writerly--like a good short story or novel (indeed, writer themes/characters are everywhere)--but it was ultimately adapted very poorly into a motion I understand the bad reviews of this film, as the dialogue, various outskirt characters and plot points fell apart. This film feels very writerly--like a good short story or novel (indeed, writer themes/characters are everywhere)--but it was ultimately adapted very poorly into a motion picture. Regardless of these problems, I do find that Ryan Gosling and Don Cheadle did remarkably well. The moral debate going on in this film--while engaging, is quite sophmoric in the end, which is too bad. The comparison one user review made to Donnie Darko, I think, is a bit generous as Darko was very well written, acted and directed. This film had some great actors--the direction was ok but the writing and plot devices fell through. The story, in the end, did seem muddled--and possibly better looking on paper then screen.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful

MiguelG.

Nov 28, 2006

The film does not tell anything, does not have any insight in any particular issue and it definitely has no complexity. Nothing to save apart of Kevin Sapcy's acting.

1 of 2 users found this helpful

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