The 51st State

R

Released Oct 18, 2002

1h 32m

Action

Comedy

List

25%

Tomatometer

102 Reviews

59%

Audience Score

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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Critics Consensus

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

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Missing: plot, dialogue, characters.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 24, 2010

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 4/5

Dec 30, 2006

Full Review

Scott Von Doviak

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

Excessive, profane, packed with cartoonish violence and comic-strip characters.

Jan 2, 2003

Full Review

Joel Siegel

Good Morning America

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.

Rated: B

Jan 4, 2018

Full Review

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Overdirected, overacted, generally overwrought mess.

Rated: 1.5/4

Jan 2, 2009

Full Review

Mark Halverson

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 2/5

Aug 7, 2008

Full Review

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Faye B

Hilarious film that really captures Liverpool- and i live there!! Love the banter about british slang and that they used the proper accents

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/06/23

Full Review

Bryan

Great movie. Hilarious. Anyone who doesn't like this is just plain wrong.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/31/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Watchable...rhys ifans in particular plays a great character...but struggled with a weak plot

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This wasn't a great movie but I had fun with the quirky characters and am usually a fan of blending a comedic tone with an action or suspense story. Emily Mortimer is someone I typically like and this was a different character for her, while Rhys Ifans had a really fun supporting role. I almost gave this 3* towards the end as I was dying during the final scene with Meat Loaf, executing a solid Co-stan-za, and leaving on a really high note. 5.5/10 Samuel L. Jackson Binge: Jackson probably had the most interesting character, inexplicably wearing a kilt and carrying a bag of golf clubs with him throughout the movie, which naturally became a humorous issue as his character was fleeing criminals and law enforcement for most of the film. SLJ January #68

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I would have thought a film with Samuel L. Jackson set in the UK as a streetwise chemist would be a riot, but it wasn't I was thoroughly bored and tuned out most of it.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Drug dealing chemist entrepreneur creates a new strain of narcotics.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

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Ronnie Yu

Director

Samuel L. Jackson

Elmo McElroy

Robert Carlyle

Felix DeSouza

Emily Mortimer

Dakota Phillips

Rhys Ifans

Iki

Meat Loaf

The Lizard

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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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