Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- bleak
- introspective
- disturbing
- serious drama night
- crime film marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film's moral inquiry and occasional performances undermined by a muddled plot, artificial dialogue, unsympathetic characters, and uneven acting.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Leland's writings in a juvenile-class book become the central source for understanding his reasoning.
Pearl, Leland, and the surrounding community struggle to interpret the murder and its implications.
Leland's detached behavior and the film's focus on families and people around the juvenile case frame violence through dark suburban disconnection.
The Fitzgerald family and the people surrounding Leland cope with the murder through strained, unstable relationships.
Films like The United States of Leland, and why
The Believer
shared prison drama setting, moral ambiguity, troubled youth, and restrained indie tone
Thirteen
shared coming-of-age drama, dysfunctional family dynamics, suburban alienation, and emotionally troubled adolescents
Mystic River
shared crime drama structure, institutional confinement, moral inquiry, and ambiguous characterization
Bully
shared bleak suburban atmosphere, juvenile violence, dysfunctional families, and psychological investigation
Movie Details
- Director
- Matthew Ryan Hoge
- Release Date
- 2003-05-15
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (345)
Cast
- Don Cheadle
- Ryan Gosling
- Chris Klein
- Kevin Spacey
- Jena Malone
- Lena Olin
- Michelle Williams
- Martin Donovan
- Ann Magnuson
- Kerry Washington
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The United States of Leland about?
- A detached teenager's murder of a special-needs child becomes the center of a troubled writer's attempt to decipher guilt, alienation, and family damage.
- What is The United States of Leland like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The United States of Leland as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The United States of Leland violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The United States of Leland as moderate.
- What did critics think of The United States of Leland?
- Critics generally found the film's moral inquiry and occasional performances undermined by a muddled plot, artificial dialogue, unsympathetic characters, and uneven acting.
- Which films are like The United States of Leland?
- Films with a similar feel include The Believer, Thirteen, Mystic River, and Bully.
- How long is The United States of Leland?
- The United States of Leland runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch The United States of Leland?
- In United States, The United States of Leland is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
