The plot of “The United States of Leland” is almost instantly a shocking one. Leland (Ryan Gosling) is a calm, non-effacing young man facing a long prison sentence for an appalling crime. Namely, the brutal killing of a mentally retarded boy. The victim happens to be the younger brother of Leland’s ex-girlfriend, Becky (Jena Malone), which led this viewer to believe there was far more to the tale then what we are initially told. As bits and pieces of the story come to light, I could only hope that I was right. Right off the bat, I’d have to say that “The United States of Leland” may not be a movie that appeals to everyone. In part, this has a lot to do with the viciousness of the crime and the state of the victim. But more so I would have to say it is because of the slow and deliberate way the story unfolds. There is no rush to get to the truth, and it takes quite a while for it to come to light.

The pacing allows the film to be heavily character and dialogue driven, which may go over the heads of viewers who only see films for car chase or strip club scenes.

Most of the time I applaud character driven films like this, and I will say that there wasn’t a weak performance from anyone in the cast. Don Cheadle, who plays Leland’s prison teacher, is especially good as he portrays the role with equal parts caring and selfishness. He cares about the well-being of his student, but he also smells a book deal in his own future. Then of course, we have Kevin Spacey, who could read the back of a chewing gum label and hold you in rapt attention. He plays Leland’s father, an author who is never around. His role here, brief as it is, is as good as any he has done. Everyone else however, seems to draw upon a sense of being detached from their surroundings. Almost unaffected by what has happened, and is happening. This works well for the characters, but doesn’t draw in the viewer as it should. I was shocked by the crime, but never really felt pulled into the story.

The new DVD of “The United States of Leland” gets kudos for the transfer, which as you generally come to expect from Paramount looks and sounds great. However, there are no extras to be had. No commentary, behind the scenes featurettes, or anything. The film was produced by Spacey, and if there was anyone I might have wanted a commentary from, it would have been him.

I still recommend the film for its few merits and the performances by Cheadle and Spacey, but I just can’t give it a strong recommendation.

Directed by: Matthew Ryan Hodge
Starring: Don Cheadle, Ryan Gosling, Chris Klein, Jena Malone, Lena Olin, Kevin Spacey, Michelle Williams, Martin Donovan,
Extras: Theatrical Trailer
Specifications: Widescreen - Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Dolby Surround
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: 9/7/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R (For Language and Some Drug Content)
Website

We'll give The United States of Leland a C+.