Plot
An American master chemist plans to score big on a once in a lifetime drug deal. All does not go as planned and he is soon entangled in a web of deceit.
Release Year: 2001
Rating: 6.1/10 (26,840 voted)
Critic's Score: 23/100
Director:
Ronny Yu
Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Carlyle, Emily Mortimer
Storyline Elmo McElroy is a streetwise American master chemist who heads to England to sell his special new formula - a powerful, blue concoction guaranteed to take you to 'the 51st state.' McElroy's new product delivers a feeling 51 times more powerful than any thrill, any pleasure, any high in history. But his plans for a quick, profitable score go comically awry when he gets stuck in Liverpool with an unlikely escort and his ex-girlfriend and becomes entangled in a bizarre web of double-dealing and double-crosses.
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson
-
Elmo McElroy
Nigel Whitmey
-
L.A. Highway Patrol
Robert Jezek
-
Priest
Emily Mortimer
-
Dakota Parker
Meat Loaf
-
The Lizard
Jake Abraham
-
Konokko
Mac McDonald
-
Mr. Davidson
Aaron Swartz
-
Mr. Yuri
David Webber
-
Mr. Jones
Michael J. Reynolds
-
Mr. Escobar
Sonny Muslim
-
Boy in Plane
Barbara Barnes
-
Boy's Mother
Junix Inocian
-
Mr. Ho-Fat
Robert Carlyle
-
Felix DeSouza
Paul Barber
-
Frederick
Filming Locations: 1302 Palmetto St, Los Angeles, California, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $28,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: £913,239
(UK)
(9 December 2001)
(311 Screens)
Gross: $5,204,007
(USA)
(10 November 2002)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
This is the second film 'Robert Carlyle' and Paul Barber have done together. The first was
The Full Monty in 1997.
Goofs:
Boom mic visible:
When Elmo and Iki are talking in the stadium box during the final match, you can see the boom mic drop in the scene for a second.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Elmo:
I mean, rules are like, arbitrary, you know. Made up for people who believe in fairy tales like, you know, like Santa Claus. Hey, but not us, right? I mean, we know what's important. There's a war going on, man. A war. Ain't that a bitch?
[cop sucks his teeth]
Elmo:
I just graduated today, man. With honors. Got my degree in pharmacology. I'm licensed. Look, if you write me up on this drug charge, I won't be able to practice. So what we're talking about here is, is my life. The rest of it.
[cop lights joint, takes one hit, then discards it]
[...]
User Review
Formula 51 (as it's also known) rocks!
Rating: 9/10
What do you get when you put Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Carlyle,
Meatloaf, Rhys Ifans, and Emily Mortimer together in a movie? A
rollicking good time! This movie is pure entertainment and has some
very, very funny moments. The dialogue is mostly tongue-in-cheek and
snappy. The soundtrack is excellent (this coming from someone who
doesn't really like techno, club, rap, or hip-hop music), and I would
definitely buy this movie to watch again. It may not be for everyone,
but the cast is first-rate; the story line believable, and seeing
Samuel L. Jackson in a kilt couldn't be beat! I give this movie a 9 out
of 10. It's not Academy Award material, but who cares!
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