The United States of Leland
Crime. Confusion. Compassion. They're all just states of mind.
Crime. Confusion. Compassion. They're all just states of mind.
Crime, Drama
-
2003
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A withdrawn young man, Leland Fitzgerald is imprisoned for the murder of a mentally disabled boy, who also happened to be the brother of his girlfriend, Becky. As the community struggles to deal with the killing, Pearl Madison, a teacher at the prison, decides to write about Leland's case. Meanwhile, others affected by the murder, including Becky and her sister, Julie, must contend with their own problems.
Director:
Cast:
Similar
Details
Rated:
R
Runtime:
108 min
Release date:
18 Jan 2003
Country:
US
Languages:
English
Budget:
$0
Revenue:
$343,847
Awards:
1 win & 2 nominations
Top Critics Reviews
rotten:
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.
– Ruthe Stein,
San Francisco Chronicle,
9 Apr 2004
rotten:
[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.
– Mike Ervin,
Chicago Reader,
9 Apr 2004
rotten:
It's neither an insightful nor well-made film.
– Liam Lacey,
Globe and Mail,
9 Apr 2004
rotten:
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?
– Stephen Whitty,
Newark Star-Ledger,
9 Apr 2004
fresh:
An intriguing movie about how badly we really want to know the unknowable, what makes kids kill other kids.
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
16 Apr 2004