The United States of Leland (2003)

Director:

Matthew Ryan Hoge

Writer (WGA):

Matthew Ryan Hoge (written by)

Release Date:

25 March 2005 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

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

Plot:

Tells the story of a young man's experience in a juvenile detention center that touches on the tumultuous changes that befall his family and the community in which he lives.

Plot Keywords:

Teacher | Book | Writer | Boy | Aspiring Writer

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Don Cheadle	...	Pearl Madison
Ryan Gosling	...	Leland P. Fitzgerald
Chris Klein	...	Allen Harris
Jena Malone	...	Becky Pollard
Lena Olin	...	Marybeth Fitzgerald
Kevin Spacey	...	Albert T. Fitzgerald
Michelle Williams	...	Julie Pollard
Martin Donovan	...	Harry Pollard
Ann Magnuson	...	Karen Pollard
Kerry Washington	...	Ayesha
Sherilyn Fenn	...	Mrs. Calderon
Matt Malloy	...	Charlie
Wesley Jonathan	...	Bengel
Michael Peña	...	Guillermo
Michael Welch	...	Ryan Pollard
Ron Canada	...	Elden
Troy Winbush	...	Dave
Nick Kokich	...	Kevin
Yolonda Ross	...	Miranda
Leyna Nguyen	...	TV Reporter
Jim Haynie	...	Ben
Randall Bosley	...	Sheriff Donaldson
Jody Wood	...	Cop One
Robert Peters	...	Security Guard
Kathleen S. Dunn	...	Doris (as Kathleen Dunn)
Tony McEwing	...	News Anchor
Lawrence Lowe	...	Detention Specialist
Charles Hess	...	Main Entrance Guard
Kimberly Scott	...	Myra
Angela Paton	...	Airplane Woman
Ryan Malgarini	...	6-Year-Old Leland
Maria Arcé	...	Bethany
Dell Yount	...	Court Officer
Clyde Kusatsu	...	Judge
Melanie Lora	...	Hotel Waitress
Rene Rivera	...	Mechanic
Alec Medlock	...	12-Year-Old Leland
Jim Metzler	...	Cemetery Reporter
Michael McCleery	...	Mechanic #2
David Barrera	...	First Officer
Sheeri Rappaport	...	Second Officer
Kevin Patrick Kelly	...	Doctor (as Kevin Kelly)
Evan Helmuth	...	Grocery Guy
Ty Hodges	...	Student (as Eric Ty Hodges)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jonathan Adler	...	Neighbor (uncredited)
Brayden Cahill	...	Alex (uncredited)
Edward T. McAvoy	...	Creepy Old Man (uncredited)
Jenny Worman	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)

Directed by
Matthew Ryan Hoge

Writing credits (WGA)
Matthew Ryan Hoge		(written by)

Produced by
Mark Damon	....	executive producer
Stewart Hall	....	executive producer
Sammy Lee	....	executive producer
Bernie Morris	....	producer
Jonah Smith	....	producer
Kevin Spacey	....	producer
Dara Weintraub	....	co-producer
Dara Weintraub	....	line producer
Palmer West	....	producer

Original Music by
Jeremy Enigk

Cinematography by
James Glennon

Film Editing by
Jeff Betancourt

Casting by
Emily Schweber

Production Design by
Edward T. McAvoy

Art Direction by
William Arnold		(as Bill Arnold)
Kevin Constant

Set Decoration by
Jan Pascale

Costume Design by
Genevieve Tyrrell

Makeup Department
Amy L. Disarro	....	additional makeup artist (as Amy Disarro)
Marina Hart	....	additional hair stylist
Voni Hinkle	....	hair department head
Melanie Hughes	....	makeup department head (as Melanie Hughes-Weaver)
Ben Nye Jr.	....	makeup department head
Shari Perry	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Michelle LeDoux	....	production manager
Michael Toji	....	post-production supervisor
Dara Weintraub	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Susan Abrams	....	second assistant director
William Paul Clark	....	assistant director
Heather Grierson	....	second second assistant director
Keith Jones	....	additional second second assistant director
Dawn Massaro	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Ronnie Baker	....	swing gang
Mychael Bates	....	property master
Jenny Baum	....	on-set dresser
Sam Brinson	....	construction foreman (as Samuel Brinson)
Alan Burg	....	swing gang
Dennis De George	....	swing gang
Louise Del Araujo	....	lead man
Arnold Durazo Jr.	....	propmaker
Cory Fama	....	laborer
Joseph C. Fama	....	construction coordinator (as Joe Fama)
Iola Kay Fiengo	....	assistant property master
Katie Gonzalez	....	assistant property master (as Katie Sanner)
Deborah Harman	....	swing gang
James Harne	....	propmaker
Richard McConnell	....	construction coordinator: re-shoots
Jim McDonald	....	property maker (as James McDonald)
Mark Molina	....	assistant art director
Tony Nuñez	....	assistant props
John 'Johnny O' Ornelas	....	assistant property master
Heather Pemble	....	art department production assistant
Paul M. Rohrbaugh III	....	scenic painter (as Paul Rohrbaugh)
Kenneth Roth	....	propmaker
Art Vasenius	....	lead man
Michael Wynands	....	propmaker

Sound Department
David Franklin Bergad	....	adr editor
David Franklin Bergad	....	dialogue editor
David Franklin Bergad	....	sound editor
Mark Berger	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Frank Canonica	....	supervising sound recordist: mix stage
Misty Conn	....	boom operator
Ben Conrad	....	foley recordist
Piotr Filipowski	....	sound effects editor
Chris Gridley	....	assistant sound editor
Nathan Gunn	....	assistant sound editor
Amy Hammer	....	mix facility coordinator
Clarissa Keller	....	adr facility coordinator
Alex Names	....	cableperson
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
John Nutt	....	supervising sound editor
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist
David Parker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jonathan Schwartz	....	apprentice sound editor
Daniel Sperry	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Patti Tauscher	....	foley editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Richard Van Dyke	....	production sound mixer
James Willetts	....	assistant foley recordist

Special Effects by
David P. Kelsey	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging supervisor: iO FILM
Adam Hawkey	....	lead compositor: iOFilm

Stunts
Keith Adams	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Garrett Benson	....	first assistant camera: second camera
Kevin Brennan	....	gaffer
Davie Brown	....	key grip
Tony Bryan	....	electrician
Jeff Butters	....	gaffer
Earl L. Clark	....	camera operator: second camera (as Earl Clark)
Matthew Coleman	....	electrician (as Matt 'Madman' Coleman)
Ronald K. De torres	....	set lighting technician
Matthew A. Del Ruth	....	second assistant camera
Sean W. Del Ruth	....	camera loader
Maurizio Dotto	....	first assistant camera: second camera (as Nino Dotto)
Robert Edesa	....	camera operator
Robert Edesa	....	director of photography: additional photography
Casey Ellison	....	electrician
Fernando Frausto	....	company grip
Todd Fullerton	....	video playback operator
Mike Gentile	....	additional camera loader
Paul A. Hardiman	....	electrician (as Paul Hardiman)
Michael Hester	....	company grip
Casey Hotchkiss	....	camera operator: second camera (as Case Hotchkiss)
Tino Jimenez	....	electrician
Mark La Bonge	....	Steadicam operator
Ama MacDonald	....	electrician (as Ama McDonald)
Jeffrey Maroun	....	electrician (as Jeff Maroun)
Chuck Mason	....	electrician
Alyosha Mattei	....	electrician (as Osha Mattei)
Robert D. McBride	....	camera operator: second camera (as Bob McBride)
Terence McNally	....	electrician
David L. Merrill	....	key grip
Dominic Napolitano	....	first assistant camera
Ron Peterson	....	second assistant camera: second camera
Danny Plante	....	company grip
John J. Plante	....	best boy grip (as John Plantes)
Rudy Pohlert	....	best boy electric
Lionel T. Portugal II	....	company grip
Lionel T. Portugal Sr.	....	best boy grip
Chris Portugal	....	company grip
Eric Roizman	....	assistant camera: "b" camera
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Louis Sevol	....	second assistant camera
David Terry	....	dolly grip
Ron Vargas	....	first assistant camera
Troy N. Wade	....	dolly grip (as Troy Wade)
Frans Wetterings III	....	best boy electric (as Frans Wetterings)
Rhett Wooden	....	company grip

Casting Department
Lyndsey Gayer	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Rich King	....	extras casting
Kelly Hunt	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mynka Draper	....	costume supervisor
Molly Grundman	....	key set costumer
Heidi Higginbotham	....	costume supervisor
Michele Posch	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Joe Fineman	....	post-production consultant
Mato	....	color timer
Michael Nouryeh	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Mike Flicker	....	supervising music editor
Matt Friedman	....	music editor
Jeff Lingle	....	music editor
Tracy McKnight	....	music supervisor
Alysia Oakley	....	assistant to music supervisor
Reed Ruddy	....	music engineer
BC Smith	....	music producer

Transportation Department
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Michael Merrick	....	transportation coordinator
Gary Wiseman	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Edgar Avendaño	....	assistant: Mr. Hoge
Kent James Stewart Barber	....	assistant location manager (as James Barber)
Sarah Bay Williams	....	executive: Trigger Street
Drew Bayers	....	assistant: Mr. Morris
Christine Bonnem	....	location manager
Frank Caridi	....	set production assistant (as Frank J. Caridi)
Jon Damon	....	set production assistant
Jaime Davis	....	production assistant
Kimberly Edwards	....	post-production accountant
Sean Ervin	....	assistant: Mr. Spacey
Kieron Estrada	....	location scout
Eric L. Fersten	....	assistant to co-producer
Bill Greenfield	....	office production assistant (as William Robert Greenfield)
Kelly Harris	....	assistant location manager
Thomas J. Healy IV	....	key assistant location manager
Thomas J. Healy IV	....	location scout (as Thomas Healy)
Celeste Healy	....	production coordinator
Heather Heath	....	payroll accountant
Zack Heath	....	production assistant
Michelle Hoffman	....	craft service assistant
Adam Jordan	....	production assistant
Astrid Kemnitz	....	first assistant accountant
Jeff Lane	....	production assistant
Jeff Lane	....	set production assistant
Stephanie Lewis	....	assistant: Mr. Smith and Mr. West
Peter Madamba	....	script researcher
Jay Mason	....	script supervisor
Brian McMillan	....	animal trainer
Vikki McMillan	....	animal trainer
Lucas Moore	....	studio teacher: Michael Welch
Robert W. Morgenroth	....	video effects supervisor (as Bob Morgenroth)
Kyle Oliver	....	assistant location manager (as Kyle 'Snappy' Oliver)
Nathan Polatin	....	location manager
Nancy Pyne-Hapke	....	studio teacher
Devan Richardson	....	craft service foreman
Jose Salas	....	chef
Matt Sprague	....	office production assistant
Stephanie Stearns	....	production assistant
Marsha L. Swinton	....	production accountant
Kirk Tedeski	....	video coordinator
Scott Tuft	....	production assistant
Jude S. Walko	....	assistant production coordinator
Arif S. Kinchen	....	additional voices (uncredited)

Thanks
Donald Barthelme	....	special thanks
Brian Costello	....	special thanks
Mark Everett	....	special thanks (as E)
Tamara Stuparich de la Barra	....	thanks

Production Companies

• MDP Worldwide
• Media 8 Entertainment
• Thousand Words
• Trigger Street Productions

Distributors

• Asmik Ace Entertainment (Japan) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• KinoVista (2003-2008) (France) (TV)
• Leland Productions Inc.
• MDP Worldwide
• Manga Films
• Momentum Pictures (2003) (UK) (all media)
• One Plus One (2006) (France) (video) (DVD)
• Paramount Classics (2004) (USA)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Solo Film Verleih (Germany)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• With Cinema (Korea)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Title House Digital (opticals)

Other Companies

• Act One Script Clearance  script clearance and research
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Leonetti Company  production equipment
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative cutting
• Mato  color timing
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Polaris PR  unit publicity
• Rich King Casting  extras casting
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound post-production
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording
• Top Notch Security  security
• Wilshire Stages, The  adr facilities

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some drug content

Runtime:

108 min | Canada:104 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:14A | USA:R | Argentina:13 | UK:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:14 | Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

MDP Worldwide

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Becky and Leland are walking at around 2 in the morning, in the background you can see it begin to rain, but both Leland's and Becky's clothes remain perfectly dry.

Quotes:

Leland:The worst part is knowing that there is goodness in people. Mostly it stays deep down and buried. Maybe we don't have God because we're scared of the bad stuff. Maybe we're really scared of the good stuff. Because if there's no God, well, that means it's inside of us and we could be good all the time if we wanted. So when we do bad things, it'd be because we want to or because we have to. Or maybe we just need the bad stuff to remind us what the good stuff is in the first place.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Anatomy of a Scene: The United States of Leland" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Don't Change Nothin'

An extremely moving, touching, thought-provoking movie

Leland Fitzgerald (Ryan Gosling) is sent to jail for the murder of an autistic kid. When pressured with the question 'Why?' he doesn't have an answer. While in jail he meets Pearl (Don Cheadle), his teacher, who decides to take matters into his own hands and helps Leland figure out why he did it. Throughout this film we learn all about Leland's troubled life, including his ex-girlfriend Becky(Jena Malone), his famous father Albert(Kevin Spacey)and his whole sad life.

This film is Matthew Ryan Hoge's second movie, and it is spectacular in nearly everyway. This is one movie which will leave you thinking in the end, and wondering about how it all works. The movie is quite dark, but if you can handle that then you will realize just how good a film it is.

In this movie, there is no bad guy. There is no one you can blame for anything that happens. There's no stereotyping, and the audience does not try to prove Leland guilty. Instead, we sit back, relax, and watch this boy's life unfold throughout the corse of the movie. All the problems depicted in the story are very real. Drug addiction, parental expectations, overwhelming sadness; they all exist in our world.

Ryan Gosling gives one of the greatest performances of his career in this movie, as the depressed teenager Leland. His father lives in Europe and doesn't really care much about his son. The only person he loves is Becky, but she has problems of her own. He knows exactly what he did, but as he says in the film, 'You want a why, but maybe there isn't one. Maybe this is something that just happened.' There is a why, but we don't find out about it until the end. As you watch the movie, the audience finds themselves amazed that such a young person could know so much about the world. Leland notices things that people tend to ignore.

A particular thought-provoking scene which really affected me was during one of Leland's conversations with Pearl. Pearl just cheated on his wife and when Leland asks why, Pearl replies that he's only human. Then Leland says something which never really occurs to anyone: "Why do people only say that when they've done something wrong?"

Another fantastic acting job was provided by Chris Klein. In the film he plays Allen Harris, the boyfriend of Becky's sister Julie (Michelle Williams). Although he is not one of the main characters, I found myself amazed at how deep his character was. You can relate to Allen a lot. You know how much he cares for the Pollard family. It's as if they were his own flesh and blood. By the end of the movie, you realize just how far he would go to help them.

Overall, this movie is a masterpiece which has been overlooked by quite a few people. If, however, you take the time to watch it, you will most likely see that everything I've mentioned above is true. And once you're finished watching it, you'll never look at the world the same way again.

9.5/10