"The United States of Leland" (2003)
Directed and Written by: Matthew Ryan Hoge
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Don Cheadle, Chris Klein, Jena Malone, Lena Olin, Kevin Spacey
Plot Outline: "The United States of Leland" tells the story of a young man's experience in an American juvenile detention centre that touches on the tumultuous changes that befall his family and the community in which he lives.
Snak's take: Well, there were parts when I fell asleep. The very few parts where Kevin Spacey, who plays a famous writer and Leland's estranged father, was of course perfect. The main character, Leland, is a pathetic self-righteous stupid kid. If that's the part he was supposed to play, then Ryan Gosling nailed it. Chris Klein's character, Allen, as an unpredictable seemingly outsider, which, for me put the movie over a 50% grade because I couldn't figure him out. Don Cheadle who plays Leland's teacher in the detention centre, is still an underrated actor, and the only real and believable character in the entire movie. It's a boring movie overall and listening to Leland speak about his thoughts about God and the devil, good vs. evil, is just absolute drivelling nonsense. This character killed someone in cold blood and we're supposed to feel real sorry for him. Just pathetic liberal trash. eg. "Maybe bad things exist so we know what good is." No wonder See Magazine gave it 4 stars. What crap. The only people who can identify with this movie are kids like "Jeremy ... spoke in class today" and Scott "Heroin" Weland. How in the hell the writer got Kevin Spacey dragged (drugged?) into this one is beyond me. (But it was nice to see Sherilyn Fenn though - Leland's description of her was bang on - "electricity in her eyes".) But whatever - a blah movie.
Should be titled: "The United States of Pathetic"
Rating: Yesterday I gave it 2.63 fists out of 5, but now that I think about it, it's not even a 2. So Snak gives this movie 1.91 fists out of 5. Don't waste your time. Watch "Shawshank Redemption" again for the 97th time - that'll make you feel better and pick out a plot point that you hadn't seen or considered before.
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