IMDb > The 51st State (2001)
The 51st State
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The 51st State (2001) More at IMDbPro »

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The 51st State (2001) -- An American master chemist plans to score big on a once in a lifetime drug deal. All does not go as planned and he is soon entangled in a web of deceit.
The 51st State (2001) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.1/10   19,185 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Ronny Yu
Writer (WGA):
Stel Pavlou (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Formula 51 on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 October 2002 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Comedy | Crime more
Tagline:
Nice Wheels. Dirty Deals. And One Mean Mother In A Kilt. more
Plot:
An American master chemist plans to score big on a once in a lifetime drug deal. All does not go as planned and he is soon entangled in a web of deceit. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(11 articles)
[DVD Review] London to Brighton
 (From JustPressPlay. 13 August 2009, 10:00 AM, PDT)

Samuel L. Jackson Negotiates With Pirates
 (From Cinematical. 13 May 2009, 4:03 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Comparison's are what kill this film more (153 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Samuel L. Jackson ... Elmo McElroy
Nigel Whitmey ... L.A. Highway Patrol
Robert Jezek ... Priest

Emily Mortimer ... Dakota Parker

Meat Loaf ... The Lizard
Jake Abraham ... Konokko
Mac McDonald ... Mr. Davidson
Aaron Swartz ... Mr. Yuri
David Webber ... Mr. Jones

Michael J. Reynolds ... Mr. Escobar
Sonny Muslim ... Boy in Plane
Barbara Barnes ... Boy's Mother
Junix Inocian ... Mr. Ho-Fat

Robert Carlyle ... Felix DeSouza
Paul Barber ... Frederick
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Formula 51 (USA)
Formule 51 (Canada: French title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for strong violence, language, drug content and some sexuality.
Runtime:
92 min
Country:
UK | Canada
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Errors in geography: When Elmo and Felix are driving around Liverpool, they go from Liverpool town center to Old Swan (about 4 miles away), then back to the town center in a matter of seconds. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Elmo: I mean, rules are like, arbitrary, you know. Made up for people who believe in fairy tales like, you know, like Santa Claus. Hey, but not us, right? I mean, we know what's important. There's a war going on, man. A war. Ain't that a bitch?
[cop sucks his teeth]
Elmo: I just graduated today, man. With honors. Got my degree in pharmacology. I'm licensed. Look, if you write me up on this drug charge, I won't be able to practice. So what we're talking about here is, is my life. The rest of it.
[cop lights joint, takes one hit, then discards it]
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in "HBO First Look: Formula 51 (#9.16)" (2002) more
Soundtrack:
Shamrocks and Shenanigans more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
18 out of 32 people found the following comment useful.
Comparison's are what kill this film, 29 July 2005
5/10
Author: devilnside from Australia

Formula 51, to me, wanted to badly to mimic the cool characteristics of films like Snatch and in doing so left behind elements which were necessary to get there. The script found the film with it's first fault when it was clear that during the writing process things like a flowing, rich and intelligent script were replaced by excessive overly 'Cool' dialogue, the f word and a narrative which shamelessly places the characters in situations with the sole purpose of them showing how witty (in a dialogue sense) they can be. And yes, I will admit, at times it works and you do enjoy some of this but it is overall tedious and relies far to heavy on this to make this film.

On the acting front I noticed pretty quickly how the actors saw their characters were written and just played with it (with the exception of Sam L Jackson who seemed to kick into auto pilot and let his cool persona shine through on his part). I think in the context this was a good choice by the actors, this movie was not a masterpiece and they treated it appropriately. But still, the characters lacked charisma and charm. Even the always likable Samual L Jackson failed to really strike a chord with me.

I guess I semi enjoyed the film but still felt as though it was trying to be something more and failed. I keep thinking it wanted to be Snatch, but to be, it needed the characters, the pace, the dialogue (subtlety needed) and the overall richness that Snatch possessed. Try to not make comparisons upon viewing, and take it as no more than a piece of entertainment. 5/10

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The 51st State (2001)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Song playing when Elmo is busted for pott j-adetunji
Kid on plane redwinevino
It may be because I come from Liverpool but.... cattus3
every time say '51st state' they hear '50 first dates' burger_time
Funny censorship djensen1
What motorcycle is it that the chick has? ghosteh-1
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