THE 51st STATE (2001) *** Ultra-hip, hyper-modern multi-criminal-cultural gangsta tale works for the most traditional reason: brilliantly drawn cartoon characters. I do mean brilliantly, though, with the stroke of a scene or some smooth or awkward line out of nowhere, Ronny Yu has a whole fleet of incredible credible criminals up and running, and at each other's necks. The big question is-in this league of leagues-who's going to be the toughest? I mean, obviously, with Samuel L. Jackson acting like this there can be no other favorite, but Robert Carlyle looks competitive (not easy, I assure you), and there is a point where you wonder if either of them has any hope against Emily Mortimer. I'm not just talking well drawn characters, we're talking actors doing it! Meat Loaf is always clearly the nuttiest-in that dangerous but amusing way-and least predictable, but never appears to be a serious contender. So while there's all this gloriously violent entertainment going on, the film does trot out some serious questions to consider: Where did society go wrong, to turn hippies and businessmen alike into armed criminals? Was it laws or values? Given the timeline coordinates, what role have drugs played in the acceleration of culture (not least, science) since the '60s? Yes, we all know, most of us believe, that drugs don't make you smarter, but they do make you experienced and give you alternate perspectives. In what ways-if at all-have these perspectives been an aid in collective progress, when applied individually? So it's fun to watch, and smart enough to make you think about. It's been awhile since I've been anywhere near this kind scene, but my counsel is that while drugs may take you somewhere akin to, or relatively closer to, the 51st state, meditation is the only way to get you as close as our physical and spiritual limitations will allow. Which doesn't make Mr. Jackson's line that starts "Can't a Brother just..." any less witty, hysterical, or on point. Listen to the man, he's a chemist!
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