Le 51e état

Elmo McElroy (Samuel L. Jackson), a streetwise American master chemist comes to England to introduce a new drug to the European rave scene. When he finds himself double crossed in the mob's underworld. The only support that MeElroy finds is a rabid local hood Felix DeSouza (Robert Carlyle), who hates all things American.

Directed by Ronny Yu (Bride of Chucky, Freddy Vs. Jason) made an enjoyable, trashy, indefensible guilty pleasure. Although there is nothing special about this film unless you love seeing Jackson in a Kilt. The film almost has a scene stealing performance by Emily Mortimer as a Hit-Woman. The movie has an good supporting cast like Sean Pertwee, Rhys Ifans and Meat Loaf. This film was a Box Office Flop but it worth a look for fans of the stars or you are in the mood for wild, tongue in cheek, Hong Kong style action/comedy. Samuel L. Jackson is also one of the executive producers. Original British Title:The 51St State. Super 35. (***/*****).

Yes it's Liverpool, yes it's a well used theme and yes, Sam wears a kilt!!! Those last words should have you booking your tickets, but if that's not enough then read on. We start our ride in the States with a freshly graduated Elmo McElroy driving along the coast, sparking up a joint as the sun sets in the background and life is looking good. That is all changed by the wail of a cop car, and the subsequent booking of the young Elmo. Life has just got an awful lot more complicated. Before you know it you're in the middle of a big drugs deal that blows up in everyone's face, and our Elmo is on his way to merry ol' England with the next wonder drug in a sweet packet, being followed by an assassin who is fascinated by whether or not there is underwear beneath that kilt. Now you need to hang on tight as we meet a yankie hating, football loving henchman (Robert Carlyle), an inflatable ring using boss (Ricky Tomlinson), a yoga enthusiast night club owner (Rhys Iffans), the most inept, bent police officer (Sean Pertwee) and everyone in between. Car chases the likes have not been seen since the Italian Job and The Blues Brothers, guns, drugs and a pounding sound track all conspire to detract from the core i.e the script. But they cannot as gags, one liners and even entire conversations, will have you doubled over with laughter. And not just in the cinema, as this will probably be one of the most quoted films down the pub or at work this year without a doubt. Yes there is swearing and yes it's not the most intellectually stimulating films made, but it never tried to be. What it tried to be was an all out action comedy Hollywood style with British wit and sarcasm driving it. The performances are second to none and the direction and editing will leave you blinking. The pace builds relentlessly and before you can fidget, the credits are rolling and you are on your way out the door!!

Don't believe the bad press, this is one hell of a film, with one hell of a cast and written by one hell of a British writer...GO AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!!

From start to finish this film is a great laugh, it never takes itself seriously. The characters aren't consciously making jokes, what they say is just inherently funny. Be warned though if you don't like swearing in your films this isn't the one for you as just about every line contains more than one obscenity.

The film stars Samuel L Jackson as an ultra-cool, kilt wearing drugs chemist wanting to make one high-profit deal, Robert Carlyle as a Liverpool gangster and Emily Mortimer as the hottest assassin I've seen in a film.

I won't post any spoilers but if you enjoy films with car chases, funny dialogue and over the top action involving guns, golf clubs and heavy duty laxatives then this is the film for you.

OK, so the `what' British film industry needs another gangster-flick about as much as Zsa-Zsa Gabor needs another facelift, but this film is worth a look just for the fact that it's not set in London (hurrah!), it's very funny and it features Samuel L. Jackson in a kilt. Coming from Liverpool myself, I loved the fact that someone has taken the effort to make a decent film about my city (the last film set in Liverpool was ‘Beneath the Skin' – shoe-gazing rubbish with Samantha Morton, who couldn't act her way out of a wet paper bag).

Energetically directed by Yu, with flamboyant performances by Carlyle, Ifans et al. 51st State is difficult not to enjoy. Okay, so it's not very deep and meaningful, and the plot may have been done a thousand times before, but that could just about describe almost every film that Hollywood has churned out this year. With film, as with any other entertainment medium, it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it.

Moaning about the ‘dodgy' accents or the depiction of Liverpool as a haven for drug dealers and corrupt policemen is pointless nit-picking and should not detract from the fact that 51st State is a lively, refreshing and ultimately entertaining two hours worth of celluloid. It is also a damn sight better than all the British-films-not-made-by-Working-Title that have been released this year.

The 51st State is certainly no classic, but its funny and has a half-decent storyline. Being from the Liverpool area, I'm glad to see a film set there, even if it is about crime. Samuel L. Jackson is as cool as ever as kilt-wearin', drug-dealin' Elmo McElroy, and Robert Carlyle is in good form as Felix DeSouza, desperately trying to get himself a cut in the deal. The use of Ricky Tomlinson, a very funny actor pretty much unknown to American audiences, was also a nice touch. I'm very much a believer that British comedy is (almost) always better than American. I always enjoy the inclusion of English words and slang, and with Elmo not having a clue about English customs, such as the different language and the Mini Cooper, makes this film very funny. I'm not sure about Americans, but English people will appreciate the hilarity of the situation as Elmo and Felix run around Liverpool, with Elmo wanting his 20 million, and Felix just wanting to watch the Liverpool vs. Man Utd game! A clever twist at the end adds a bit of a philosophical side to the film, and shows The 51st State is more than just a few laughs.