iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.
iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.



Link to original content: http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-united-states-of-leland/
The United States of Leland Reviews - Metacritic
X
  • 2004
  • R
  • Paramount Classics
  • 1 h 48 m
  • 2004
  • R
  • Paramount Classics
  • 1 h 48 m

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)

Directed By: Matthew Ryan Hoge

Written By: Matthew Ryan Hoge

  • 2004
  • R
  • Paramount Classics
  • 1 h 48 m
  • 2004
  • R
  • Paramount Classics
  • 1 h 48 m

The United States of Leland

Metascore Generally Unfavorable Based on 27 Critic Reviews
37
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 24 User Ratings
7.0
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth

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)

Directed By: Matthew Ryan Hoge

Written By: Matthew Ryan Hoge

Where to Watch

Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth

Top Cast

View All
View All Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable Based on 27 Critic Reviews
37
11% Positive
3 Reviews
52% Mixed
14 Reviews
37% Negative
10 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable Based on 27 Critic Reviews
37
11% Positive
3 Reviews
52% Mixed
14 Reviews
37% Negative
10 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
80
A compelling, exquisitely acted drama about the shock waves emanating from -- and toward -- a single act of almost inexplicable violence.
By Michael O'Sullivan FULL REVIEW
50
In his thoughtfully paced, well-acted film, Hoge doesn't set out to solve the "why" of Leland's ghastly crime. He's more interested in examining the reason why society needs to create and interpret a reason for horror.
By Robert K. Elder FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 24 User Ratings
7.0
58% Positive
14 Ratings
33% Mixed
8 Ratings
8% Negative
2 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 24 User Ratings
7.0
58% Positive
14 Ratings
33% Mixed
8 Ratings
8% Negative
2 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
10
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 so unbelievably **** 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!!
Report
9
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, 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.
Report
50
Only Chris Klein, as the lovesick live-in boyfriend of Becky's sister, is given anything like an active emotional arc to play, and he runs with it so beautifully that he steals the movie.
By Chuck Wilson FULL REVIEW
40
Fatuous twaddle posing as a REALLY DEEP consideration of what's wrong with our crazy, mixed-up world, Matthew Ryan Hoge's slick but deeply dumb film unfolds in a picture-perfect suburb of Anywheresville, USA.
By Maitland McDonagh FULL REVIEW
38
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.
By Liam Lacey FULL REVIEW
30
The real question raised by The United States of Leland is not why, but how. How, that is, did so many talented actors find their way to this dreary and derivative study in suburban dysfunction?
By Dana Stevens FULL REVIEW
25
The United States of Leland is tedious yet infuriating, since its characters, all of whom seem to have emerged from a screenwriter's manual, are like exhibits in a thesis meant to indict the middle class for the crime of its collective dysfunction.
By Owen Gleiberman FULL REVIEW
See All 27 Critic Reviews
7
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.
Report
6
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 know right from the beginning of the film, that Leland killed a **** 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.
Report
See All 4 User Reviews

Details

 View All
Production Company MDP Worldwide, Media 8 Entertainment, Thousand Words, Trigger Street Productions
Release Date Apr 2, 2004
Duration 1 h 48 m
Rating R
Genres
Tagline Crime. Confusion. Compassion. They're all just states of mind.
Website http://www.media8ent.com/mdp/movies.asp?movieID=12
View All Details

Awards

San Diego Film Critics Society Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Sundance Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
Deauville Film Festival
• 1 Nomination

Related Movies

Dekalog (1988)

100
Universal Acclaim

Citizen Kane

100
Universal Acclaim

Boyhood

100
Universal Acclaim

Lawrence of Arabia (re-release)

100
Universal Acclaim

Tokyo Story

100
Universal Acclaim

The Godfather

100
Universal Acclaim

The Conformist

100
Universal Acclaim

The Leopard (re-release)

100
Universal Acclaim

Casablanca

100
Universal Acclaim

Three Colors: Red

100
Universal Acclaim

Notorious

100
Universal Acclaim

Fanny and Alexander (re-release)

100
Universal Acclaim

Touch of Evil

99
Universal Acclaim

Army of Shadows

99
Universal Acclaim

City Lights

99
Universal Acclaim

Moonlight

99
Universal Acclaim

Intolerance

99
Universal Acclaim

The Rules of the Game

99
Universal Acclaim

Seven Samurai

98
Universal Acclaim

The Wild Bunch

98
Universal Acclaim

Au hasard Balthazar

98
Universal Acclaim

Pépé le Moko (re-release)

98
Universal Acclaim

Related News

The 15 Best Ridley Scott Movies

The 15 Best Ridley Scott Movies

Nick Hyman

We rank the highest-scoring films directed by Ridley Scott from throughout his entire career.

  • movie
DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

Jason Dietz

Find a list of new movie and TV releases on DVD and Blu-ray (updated weekly) as well as a calendar of upcoming releases on home video.

  • movie
2024-25 Movie Release Calendar

2024-25 Movie Release Calendar

Jason Dietz

Find a schedule of release dates for every movie coming to theaters, VOD, and streaming throughout 2024 and 2025, updated daily.

  • movie
Meet This Year's Best Picture Contenders

Meet This Year's Best Picture Contenders

Jason Dietz

Which films will contend for the Oscars' biggest prize in March? We have surveyed the experts to come up with a list of 15 of the likeliest Best Picture nominees among all films released in 2024.

  • movie
November 2024 Movie Preview

November 2024 Movie Preview

Keith Kimbell

Our editors select the most notable films debuting in November, including Moana and Gladiator sequels, the first film in a two-part Wicked adaptation, and multiple potential Oscar contenders.

  • movie