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Trailer

The United States of Leland

2003Movie1 h 48 minR

CrimeDrama
52
MediocreGoodWatch score
IMDb6.9Letterboxd3.5/5Metacritic377.0Rotten Tomatoes33%81%

A deeply moving, melancholic crime movie about everyday modern life and the mind, with standout characters.

Good for friends night · drop-in friendly · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

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Not for laughs, comfort or warmth.

Movies with

Story

Crime. Confusion. Compassion. They're all just states of mind.

A withdrawn young man, Leland Fitzgerald is imprisoned for the murder of a mentally disabled boy, who also happened to be the brother of his girlfriend, Becky.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.

Feels like

  • Psychological Drama
  • Crime
  • Character Study
  • Melancholy
  • Contemporary Realism
  • Intrigue
  • Slow Burn
  • Bleak
  • Ambiguous

Cast

24 of 36

Crew

Directed by
Matthew Ryan Hoge
Written by
Matthew Ryan Hoge
Produced by
Kevin Spacey, Palmer West, Jonah Smith
Music by
Jeremy Enigk

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

May 15, 2003 · 1 h 48 min · R

Released
May 15, 2003
Runtime
1 h 48 min
Age rating
R
Content
Drug Use, Suicide Themes, Strong Language
Genres
Crime, Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Box office
$343,847
Available in
28 countries

Q&A

4 questions, like "Where can I stream The United States of Leland?"

Questions about The United States of Leland

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The United States of Leland?

Hoopla

In the United States, The United States of Leland is free with ads on Hoopla. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 9 other countries.

Is The United States of Leland worth watching?

52
MediocreGoodWatch score

Opinions are mixed, with a GoodWatch score of 52 (IMDb 6.9, Letterboxd 3.5 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 33%, and Metacritic 37). Audiences rate it higher (72 out of 100) than critics (35).

Will I feel good after watching The United States of Leland?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.

Is The United States of Leland plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.