Stateside (2004)

24% of critics liked it
(46 reviews)
60% of users liked it
(1,820 ratings)

Directed by Reverge Anselmo, Stateside revolves around the unique love story of two very different teens -- namely, the rich but lonely Mark Deloach (Jonathan Tucker) and Dori Lawrence (Rachael Leigh Cook), a schizophrenic singer and actress -- whose lives spiral out of control in separate but… More Directed by Reverge Anselmo, Stateside revolves around the unique love story of two very different teens -- namely, the rich but lonely Mark Deloach (Jonathan Tucker) and Dori Lawrence (Rachael Leigh Cook), a schizophrenic singer and actress -- whose lives spiral out of control in separate but nonetheless connective ways. After Mark's prank on a local girl (Agnes Bruckner) results in a deadly drunk-driving accident, and Dori's mental health continues to deteriorate, Mark is forcibly sent to the Marines as Dori is admitted into a mental hospital. Despite the state of havoc in their lives, however, Dori and Mark are drawn to each other -- it would appear that their mutual need for love and some semblance of understanding has bonded them more tightly together than all of their more traditional relationships combined. Of course, those very relationships are insisting the young couple stay as far apart as possible; Mrs. Hagen (Diane Venora), head of Dori's halfway house, is particularly insistent. When Mark is deployed to a combat unit overseas, it looks as though Mrs. Hagen's wishes have been granted. Unable to forget each other, Mark and Dori do their best to heal one another in spite of the distance between them. Stateside features supporting performances from Ed Begley Jr., Carrie Fisher, Val Kilmer, and Joe Mantegna ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Reverge Anselmo
Written By: Reverge Anselmo
Genres: Drama, Romance

In Theaters: May 21, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Oct 12, 2004
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Critic Reviews

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The lovers' nonexistent chemistry doesn't generate enough heat to light a match.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
It felt authentic ...
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Turns out to be not so much a movie about a Kwazy Person as it is about a Stoopid Person.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
It's so unexpected and unpredictable and so full of tiny grace notes that its ultimate collapse seems almost irrelevant.
Jan Stuart, Newsday
A genuinely affecting love story told without a trace of affect.
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
A ludicrous indie romance.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
Well-acted but ultimately bland...
Harry Haun, Film Journal International
Stateside has some lopsided storytelling techniques, but emotionally it will get you home.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Simples e sensível, o filme traz uma atuação estupenda de Rachael Leigh Cook.
Christopher Zinsli, Film Threat
With a better cast than it deserves and a script from which it deserved better, the film is pleasant where it should be rowdy, quaint where it should be refreshing, and altogether far less daring than it thinks it is.
Collin Souter, eFilmCritic.com
It's as though the actors showed up on the set, picked their lines out of a hat, than spoke them in no particluar order.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[L]ike scenes cut from another, far better film...
Larry Carroll, FilmStew.com
Everything an independent film should be: daring, experimental, character-driven and thoroughly entertaining.
Tim Cogshell, Boxoffice Magazine
Suffers from a lack of narrative cohesion.
Dustin Putman, DustinPutman.com
The film is a head-on collision of spare parts from different genres, none of which work separately or as a collective whole.
Willie Waffle, WaffleMovies.com
The two leads don't have any chemistry, especially the flat, emotionless Tucker.
Angel Cohn, TV Guide's Movie Guide
[Stateside] is freighted with far more serious issues than most movies of its kind but neglects or glosses over most of them.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Chosen 7

Ok romance-drama about two crazy teens [one of them is literally crazy] who fall in love while one is in the Marine Corp. I must say that some of the dialogue between the two main characters was very weird but beautifully poetic in a way.Perhaps this film brought out the sappiness in… More
Ok romance-drama about two crazy teens [one of them is literally crazy] who fall in love while one is in the Marine Corp. I must say that some of the dialogue between the two main characters was very weird but beautifully poetic in a way.Perhaps this film brought out the sappiness in me. Good performances by Jonathan Tucker, Rachel Leigh Cook [especially], Agnes Bruckner, Val Kilmer, Joe Mantegna, Ed Begley Jr., and Diane Venora. Overall it's somewhat entertaining and worth a watch despite it not being particularly good.
Leo L

Great movie! Top performance by Rachael Leigh Cook. Interesting story plot. Great music.