The United States of Leland

For whatever reason, this movie was roundly panned by the critics. I thought, however, that the acting was brilliant and even though the screenplay didn't really come to any real depth and meaning - well, if you watched the movie, that was really the whole point, wasn't it? After this and his stunning performance in The Believer, Ryan Gosling is making a big fan out of me. Highly recommended. My grade: A-

Synopsis: Soft-spoken 15-year old Leland Fitzgerald commits a seemingly senseless murder that shocks his community, affecting both his victim's family and his own. Arrested and imprisoned in a juvenile detention facility, Leland comes in contact with an aspiring writer and prison teacher, Pearl Madison. As Pearl delves into the mystery of Leland's crime, he also sees the chance for a career-making book as the boy's estranged father is the world-renowned author, Albert Fitzgerald. (via Imdb)

Writer and Director: Matthew Ryan Hoge
Stars: Ryan Gosling (The Notebook), Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda), Chris Klein (American Pie), Kevin Spacey (American Beauty), Jena Malone (Donnie Darko), Michelle Williams ("Dawson's Creek"), Lena Olin (Chocolat), Martin Donovan (Saved!), Ann Magnuson (Panic Room)