The United States of Leland

 

The United States of Leland 2003

• Director: Matthew Ryan Hoge
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Ryan Gosling, Don Cheadle, Kevin Spacey, Chris Klein, Jena Malone, Lena Olin, Michelle Williams, Martin Donovan, Ann Magnusson, Kerry Washington, , Sherilynn Fenn, Ron Canada, Michael Welch
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Ryan Gosling – First Man, Blade Runner 2049, La La Land, The Nice Guys, Crazy Stupid Love, Drive, Lars and the Real Girl, Half Nelson
• Don Cheadle – Iron Man, Hotel Rwanda, Iron Man 3, Crash, The United States of Leland, Mission to Mars, Devil in a Blue Dress
• Kevin Spacey – The Men Who Stare at Goats, Superman Returns, The Life of David Gale, The Shipping News, Pay It Forward, American Beauty and others
• Chris Klein – American Dreamz
• Jena Malone – The Hunger Games, The Soloist, Into the Wild, Pride and Prejudice, Cold Mountain, Donnie Darko, Ellen Foster, Contact
• Lena Olin – Remember Me, The Reader, Casanova, Chocolat, The Ninth Gate, Romeo Is Bleeding, Picassos äventyr
• Michelle Williams – The Greatest Showman, Wonderstruck, Manchester by the Sea, My Week with Marilyn, Shutter Island, Brokeback Mountain, Imaginary Heroes, Station Agent, A Thousand Acres
• Martin Donovan – Tenet, Big Little Lies, Ant-Man, Unthinkable, Malcolm X
• Kerry Washington – Django Unchained, Black Panther, Lakeview Terrace, The Miracle at St Ana, The Dead Girl, The Last King of Scotland, Ray, The Human Stain, Save the Last Dance
• Sherilynn Fenn – Of Mice and Men, Twin Peaks, Wild at Heart
• Why? I remember it as good
• Seen: Once before. Now 29 August 2023             

             Young Leland (Gosling) is in juvie for killing a ‘retarded kid’. The only reason he can give is that it’s so sad. The victim is the brother of Leland’s ex-girlfriend Becky (Malone), a heroin addict. Both suburban families are dysfunctional.

       Leland’s teacher in Juvie (Cheadle) wants to help him, is fascinated by Leland’s seeming lack of remorse, but he has problems of his own.

       The story is told with flashbacks which causes some confusion, as flashback often do, but what is lacking in coherence is more than made up for with superb acting, especially by the young Gosling and Cheadle. 

4 * of 5