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The 51st State

Play trailer Poster for The 51st State R 2002 1h 32m Action Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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26% Tomatometer 100 Reviews 59% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
The 51st State is the story of Elmo McElroy (Samuel L. Jackson), a streetwise American master chemist, who heads to England to set up his last big deal -- to introduce a new designer drug to the European market. McElroy soon becomes embroiled in a web of double-dealing as he's escorted around Liverpool's underworld and rave scene by rabid local hood Felix De Souza (Robert Carlyle), who hates all things American.
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The 51st State

The 51st State

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Critics Consensus

Filled with profanities, Formula 51 is a stylized and incoherent mess that doesn't add up to much.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media 12/24/2010
2/5
Missing: plot, dialogue, characters. Go to Full Review
Scott Von Doviak Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com 01/02/2003
Excessive, profane, packed with cartoonish violence and comic-strip characters. Go to Full Review
Jeff Stark Salon.com 10/23/2002
Director Yu seems far more interested in gross-out humor than in showing us well-thought stunts or a car chase that we haven't seen 10,000 times. Go to Full Review
Joel Siegel Good Morning America 01/04/2018
B
It's an English movie, with a Hong Kong director, starring Samuel L. Jackson in a kilt. That alone is a surefire formula for just plain fun at the movies. Go to Full Review
Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com 01/02/2009
1.5/4
Overdirected, overacted, generally overwrought mess. Go to Full Review
Mark Halverson Sacramento News & Review 08/07/2008
2/5
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Audience Reviews

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Alexander S Oct 20 Samuel L. Jackson brings his signature humor to Formula 51 (aka The 51st State) making for a fun duo with Ethan Hawke, but the film's excessive profanity and absurdity detract from its potential as a fun action comedy. Grading: C See more T O Sep 19 I agree with Nell Minow. But silly as it was it held my interest in the idea that it was mildly entertaining. Even so, I cannot recommend it. See more Joe B May 24 Cool cool characters, dialogue, everything about this film is great See more Igal G Jan 20 One of my favorites of all time! See more John C 10/09/2024 We’ve all seen the ‘buddy cop movies’ where two mismatched police officers are forced to work together in order to solve a case. Well… this is like one of those. Only the central protagonists aren’t cops – they’re criminals. And, naturally, they’re not looking to solve a case, only to works a drugs sting which involves double-crossing about every drug dealer from Los Angeles to Liverpool. It could have been nothing special and, although the plot is hardly legendary, the fact that the two main leads are Samuel L Jackson and Robert Carlyle go some way to raising it above average. For a start they play off each other well. It’s fair to say that the two actors are about as different physically as can be and that also goes some way to help their – fragile – relationship as they’re pursued through Liverpool by everyone from drug dealers to crooked cops and assassins. The two leads are about the only ‘A-listers’ on the case, but the supporting cast has all sorts of familiar faces cropping up, all turning in pretty decent performances. It may not have the general wit and style of other British gangster films (ala Lock Stock and Snatch), but it’s fast paced enough to keep most people’s interest if you’re generally a fan of gangster films and don’t mind watching too much violence and blood (and other bodily fluids) flying across the screen, then you might like to give this one a go. Considering it’s never really mentioned when people talk about the ‘great’ British gangster films, it’s not as bad as it could be (and you get to watch Samuel L Jackson bust a few heads with a golf club – what more could you want?). See more Faye B 12/06/2023 Hilarious film that really captures Liverpool- and i live there!! Love the banter about british slang and that they used the proper accents See more Read all reviews
The 51st State

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Movie Info

Synopsis The 51st State is the story of Elmo McElroy (Samuel L. Jackson), a streetwise American master chemist, who heads to England to set up his last big deal -- to introduce a new designer drug to the European market. McElroy soon becomes embroiled in a web of double-dealing as he's escorted around Liverpool's underworld and rave scene by rabid local hood Felix De Souza (Robert Carlyle), who hates all things American.
Director
Ronnie Yu
Producer
Andras Hamori, Samuel L. Jackson, Seaton McLean, Jonathan Debin, David Pupkewitz, Malcolm Kohll
Screenwriter
Stel Pavlou
Distributor
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc., Screen Gems
Production Co
Alliance Atlantis Communications
Rating
R (Language|Drug Content|Some Sexuality|Strong Violence)
Genre
Action, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 18, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.2M
Runtime
1h 32m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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