The United States of Leland

Critics Consensus

The United States of Leland has its moments, but they're undermined by a muddled plot, unsympathetic characters, and frustratingly uneven performances.

34%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 93

81%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 30,369
User image

Tap to review this movie

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Step 2 of 2

    How did you get your ticket?

    • Fandango

    • AMC (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Cinemark (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Bought somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

    You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • How did you get your ticket?

    • Fandango

    • AMC (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Cinemark (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal (Coming Soon)

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Bought somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

Where to watch

The United States of Leland Photos

View All Photos (8)

Movie Info

Produced by Kevin Spacey, The United States of Leland is a psychological drama concerning the aftereffects of a brutal murder. It's also the first big-studio theatrical release for writer/director Matthew Ryan Hoge, whose previous work consists of the independent comedy Self Storage. Ryan Gosling plays Leland, an imprisoned teenager doing time for the stabbing murder of a disabled boy. Prison writing teacher Pearl Madison (Don Cheadle) gets caught up in the story with the intention of making a book out of it, especially when he finds out that Leland's father is the famous novelist Albert Fitzgerald (Spacey). Pearl's investigation uncovers some of the details and effects of the murder for everyone involved, including the victim's parents, Harry (Martin Donovan) and Karen Pollard (Ann Magnuson). Jena Malone plays Becky, the teenage junkie who is both Leland's ex-girlfriend and the victim's sister. The situation also complicates the relationship between Becky's older sister, Jennifer (Michelle Williams), and her sensitive boyfriend, Allen (Chris Klein). The United States of Leland premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Cast

Don Cheadle
as Pearl Madison
Ryan Gosling
as Leland P. Fitzgerald
Chris Klein
as Allen Harris
Jena Malone
as Becky Pollard
Lena Olin
as Marybeth Fitzgerald
Kevin Spacey
as Albert T. Fitzgerald
Michelle Williams
as Julie Pollard
Martin Donovan
as Harry Pollard
Ann Magnuson
as Karen Pollard
Kerry Washington
as Ayesha
Sherilyn Fenn
as Mrs. Calderon
Matt Molloy
as Charlie
Wesley Jonathan
as Bengel
Michael Peña
as Guillermo
Michael Welch
as Ryan Pollard
Jason Peck
Ron Canada
as Elden
Troy Winbush
as Dave
Nick Kokich
as Kevin
Yolonda Ross
as Miranda
Leyna Nguyen
as T.T. Reporter
Jim Haynie
as Ben
Randall Bosley
as Sheriff Donaldson
Joy Wood
as Cop No.1
Robert Peters
as Security Guard
Kathleen S. Dunn
as Doris
Tony McEwing
as News Anchor
Lawrence Lowe
as Detention Specialist
Charles Hess
as Main Entrance Guard
Kimberly Scott
as Myra
Angela Paton
as Airplane Woman
Ryan Malgarini
as Six-year-old Leland
Maria Arce
as Bethany
Dell Yount
as Court Officer
Clyde Kusatsu
as Judge
Melanie Lora
as Hotel Waitress
Rene Rivera
as Mechanic
Alec Medlock
as Twelve-year-old Leland
Jim Metzler
as Cemetery Reporter
Michael McCleery
as Mechanic No.2
David Barrera
as First Officer
Sheeri Rappaport
as Second Officer
Kevin Kelly
as Doctor
Evan Helmuth
as Grocery Guy
Ty Hodges
as Student
View All

Critic Reviews for The United States of Leland

All Critics (93) | Top Critics (28) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (61)

  • An intriguing movie about how badly we really want to know the unknowable, what makes kids kill other kids.

    Apr 16, 2004 | Rating: 4/5

    Roger Moore

    Orlando Sentinel
    Top Critic

  • A sidetracking subplot about Madison's adulterous fling with a co-worker goes nowhere; it is one of several unsatisfying, tertiary plot strands.

    Apr 15, 2004 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…
    Houston Chronicle
    Top Critic

  • Isn't it sad that a boy like this could feel so lost that he had to kill someone? Well, maybe. But isn't it sadder that someone's dead?

    Apr 9, 2004

    Stephen Whitty

    Newark Star-Ledger
    Top Critic

  • [Hoge] spends an awful lot of time trying to get us to understand Leland and almost none trying to get us to understand his victim.

    Apr 9, 2004 | Full Review…

    Mike Ervin

    Chicago Reader
    Top Critic

  • It's neither an insightful nor well-made film.

    Apr 9, 2004 | Rating: 1.5/4

    Liam Lacey

    Globe and Mail
    Top Critic

  • Besides being puffed up with its importance, it's also inert and totally implausible -- one of those movies where nobody behaves in a way that seems remotely human.

    Apr 9, 2004 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…

    Ruthe Stein

    San Francisco Chronicle
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (93)

Audience Reviews for The United States of Leland

  • Feb 19, 2013
    Ryan Gosling, and Don Cheadle, are fantastic in this interesting take about a teenager who commits a murder, but can't recall the crime. Gosling's character, with his gentle demeanor, make it hard to grasp why he would do such a thing. Young Ryan's range of talent really shines here. He has such a way about his display of cool emotions that I find mesmerizing. Really well done film...
    Cynthia S Super Reviewer
  • Jul 07, 2010
    Leland is a straightforward drama, putting all the cards on the table and allowing you to see the aftermath of unexplainable death in its truest form. http://proofinpicture.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/united-states-of-leland/
    Christopher H Super Reviewer
  • Apr 25, 2010
    Not as good as I was expecting.So disappointing
    Brody M Super Reviewer
  • Feb 13, 2010
    A young man named Leland sees the world in a whole different perspective then the those around him. We watch and learn from his time in a juvenile detention center as a teacher questions him about Why he did what he did to end up there in the first place. Ryan Gosling is an actor who I really admire and adore, because I think he's brilliant. He is joined by talents such as Kevin Spacey, Lena Olin and Din Cheadle. A very introuging cast for an equally introuging story. It is abit strange, very sad and it makes you think. It's jumps from person to person and I found it hard to understand what the different "mini-stories" had to do with anything at some times, but of course it all rounds up in the end. I liked it. At times the story didn't really manage to keep my attention but it was good most of the time. It's a very sad story, the character Leland is a very complicated one and I think Gosling plays him very well. I found it hard to grasp the actual concept of the film, maybe watching it a second time might help? You have to be utterly concntrated on the film to really grasp everything and I sadly was not while I watched it so a re-watch is definitley something that's needed. Good interesting film with a good cast.
    Charlotta L Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

The United States of Leland Quotes

View All Quotes

News & Features