Formula 51 (2001)
"The 51st State" (original title)

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.

Director:

Ronny Yu

Writer:

Stel Pavlou

Stars:

Samuel L. Jackson, Nigel Whitmey, Emily Mortimer

1 nomination.

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

Storyline

Elmo McElroy is a streetwise American master chemist who heads to England to sell his special new formula - a powerful, blue concoction guaranteed to take you to 'the 51st state.' McElroy's new product delivers a feeling 51 times more powerful than any thrill, any pleasure, any high in history. But his plans for a quick, profitable score go comically awry when he gets stuck in Liverpool with an unlikely escort and his ex-girlfriend and becomes entangled in a bizarre web of double-dealing and double-crosses.

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Plot Keywords:

chemist | liverpool | drugs | drug lord | covered in blood | 

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Taglines:

Have a good trip.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, language, drug content and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [us]

Country:

UK Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 October 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Formula 51

Filming Locations:

1302 Palmetto St, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$57,988 (South Africa) (31 January 2003)

Gross:

$57,988 (South Africa) (31 January 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Atlantis Communications, Focus Films, Fifty First Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the second film 'Robert Carlyle' and Paul Barber have done together. The first was The Full Monty in 1997.

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Goofs

SPOILER. Whilst Virgil Kane interrogates Leopold Durant, he tells Arthur to face front, pointing with his empty right hand, whilst holding his baton (which is inserted in Leopold Durant's left shoulder) in his left hand. When the scene immediately cuts to Arthur, Virgil Kane is pointing with the baton in his right hand.

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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.
[...]

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Connections

Spoofs Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

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Soundtracks

"Them Changes"
Written by Buddy Miles (as Miles)
Published by Miles Ahead Music c/o Rondor Music (Ldn) Ltd.
Performed by Buddy Miles
Courtesy of Mercury Records Ltd. (London)
Licensed by kind permission from the Film & TV Licensing Division, Part of the Universal Music Group

User Reviews

Pulp fiction meets Brookside! Joy!

OK, so the `what' British film industry needs another gangster-flick about as much as Zsa-Zsa Gabor needs another facelift, but this film is worth a look just for the fact that it's not set in London (hurrah!), it's very funny and it features Samuel L. Jackson in a kilt. Coming from Liverpool myself, I loved the fact that someone has taken the effort to make a decent film about my city (the last film set in Liverpool was ‘Beneath the Skin' – shoe-gazing rubbish with Samantha Morton, who couldn't act her way out of a wet paper bag).

Energetically directed by Yu, with flamboyant performances by Carlyle, Ifans et al. 51st State is difficult not to enjoy. Okay, so it's not very deep and meaningful, and the plot may have been done a thousand times before, but that could just about describe almost every film that Hollywood has churned out this year. With film, as with any other entertainment medium, it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it.

Moaning about the ‘dodgy' accents or the depiction of Liverpool as a haven for drug dealers and corrupt policemen is pointless nit-picking and should not detract from the fact that 51st State is a lively, refreshing and ultimately entertaining two hours worth of celluloid. It is also a damn sight better than all the British-films-not-made-by-Working-Title that have been released this year.