MovieChat Forums > The United States of Leland (2005) Discussion > Almost perfect save for one big thing......

Almost perfect save for one big thing... the end (Spoiler).


This movie was truly well written for the most part but got very lazy in how Leland die. Or more clearly how Allen (Chris Klein) killed Leland. Here is why, in order for Allen to have plan this he would have had to know that he would be put in the same facility as Leland (which is probable), know that he could get a knife (which is impossible and in the movie don't even attempt to explain it just that it came from Pearls lunch), lastly that Leland would be out in the yard at the same time that he is in the yard (which at best could only be a fluke since this was the first time Leland was allow out in the yard since being there and was only happened because it was a favor to Pearl done by one of the Jail personal).

Now, the fact that Allen all together didn't have enough motive to give up his life by killing Leland, unless he too was psychological mess up (such as Leland, Becky, and to some point Julie). If you observed him from the beginning of the movie you soon understand why this is opposite to his character, which up to when was stable, supportive, kind, and very mature. And the fact that his mother died a year ago and he still was that level headed makes it even harder to believe that he'd just snapped, And even when does "snap" and commits the robbery (they even make it a point to show how) he is polite saying "excuse me" when a woman runs into him and "thanks you" after the man gave him the money. What with this intentional contradiction?

I wish that they could have work out a better way because except for these issues the movie was touching and emotionally grabbing. So when this happens it take you out of the emotional soup that your in and reminds you, "oh yeah, it's only a movie"... so sad. I still gave this movie a 8 out of 10 but like this: the first 80% of the movie got ten out of ten and the last 20% got 5 out of ten. It would have been zero but aside for those issues the end was actually great too. Please don't be careless with such beautiful work, it is a shame to have done everything so great and not put the finishing touches on it. It's cake without the frosting, a Sundae without the fudge, a the plot without the climax.

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I agree 100% with this post. The contrived "revenge killing" is the only thing that really bothered me about an otherwise excellent film. When he robbed the auto shop I said to myself "I hope they don't go where I think they are going with this storyline" and yep, they went there. the rest of the movie was very non cliche which i liked.

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i disagree, if u look at it closely it all makes sense.

Allen didn't jus snap...there was a reason behind it. Allen was in love with the blond sister (cant remember her name) and then she "broke up" with him and ended whatever kind of relationship they had. well he associated the change in her due to the death of ryan. i mean it was clear that she was one of the more affected ones of the family over ryans death. and allen saw that change in her and then after the "break up" he blamed it all on leland. he believed that it was all lelands fault that not only the sister broke up with him but the general problems in the family.

and as far as when allen went to the juve center...i dont think he really had a plan. he knew he would go there because he was still a juvenile and that was the only place he would b sent. i think the plan was just to get in there and kill leland. there were no specifics, he was taking it as it came. so all the specifics of the knife and leland being out in the yard are made to seem like coincidence. allen would have found a way; any way available.


overall.... a VERY good movie.... 10 out of 10



"WE ARE HERE TO LAUGH AT THE ODDS AND LIVE OUR LIVES SO WELL THAT DEATH WILL TREMBLE TO TAKE US."

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I know this thread is a bit old, but I do agree with Dannii, the main thing I took out of the film was "maybe we just need to bad stuff to remind us what the good stuff is in the first place".

Allen was reminded of the good stuff he had to begin with, but he realized it was gone forever, so he did the next best thing. It wasn't out of revenge, he didn't do it in spite of the murder, but rather in spite of everything he lost because of it.

Everything ties together in this film.

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Agreed, he was part of a perfect family after losing his own. And when that was taken away from him (or rather fell apart around him) he lashed out, just like he did with the junkie bf.

There was always a lot of rage behind that nice kid exterior.

"I am not a complete idiot, some parts are missing."

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[deleted]

I do believe that he snapped because the way he screamed at the junkie shows how much he tried to find people to blame

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Yeah I agree it seemed too contrived and brought me out of the movie, which is too bad because I liked the rest. Although, I agree with the other posters on here that Allen did have enough motivation. He seemed like a ticking time bomb himself...I could see some weirdness brewing in him, or, waiting for the other shoe to drop type of thing.

But to commit a crime just to get in there, and had all the perfect coincidences to get the knife, while he was in the field...all that...too easy haha. It might have made more sense for him to just go off the deep end himself (like he did, which I was fine with) and not kill Leland, even if he was angry. Or to go and visit him and then stab him there, although that's "pushing it" too.

Because even taking the "how" out of the mix... I don't know, it was aight. It seemed too easy of a resolution just to kill Leland off like that. I guess he was more at "peace" dead than alive, because he was so damn bleak about everything. Still...it could have just ended with the reveal that he DID actually do it, without having him die. The sudden "noo the main character dies just when we were really getting to know/like/have hope for him" or whatever was kinda lame. Hayes Production Code maybe heh heh.

Even him killing himself with the knife might have been a less...well I don't know, emotionally manipulative ending? And more realistic of some kinda hopeless, bleak, mentally ill "so much sadnesssss" dude that he was.

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