Samuel L Jackson’s British flop The 51st State is now available to stream for free.
The 2001 movie stars Jackson as American master chemist Elmo McElroy, who heads to England in the hopes of setting up one final big deal – introducing a new designer drug to the European market.
Escorted around Liverpool’s underworld and rave scene by American-hating local hood Felix De Souza (Robert Carlyle), Elmo is quickly caught up in a web of double-dealing.
The action comedy, which is titled Formula 51 in the US, can now be streamed free with ads on Prime Video. It is also available to rent or buy on the platform.
Directed by Ronnie Yu, The 51st State stars Emily Mortimer, Rhys Ifans, Meat Loaf, Sean Pertwee and Ricky Tomlinson. Jackson served as executive producer alongside his lead role.
The movie received a poor reception from critics and at the box office during the time of its release. It currently holds a 26% critics’ score from 101 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Filled with profanities, Formula 51 is a stylised and incoherent mess that doesn’t add up to much,” reads the Critics Consensus on the review aggregator site.
Meanwhile, Jackson’s recent movie The Piano Lesson achieved an impressive feat, debuting with a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes from 13 reviews. The score has since fallen to a very respectable 88% from 120 reviews.
Adapted from August Wilson’s 1987 play, the Netflix movie focuses on a Great Depression-era Black family divided on what to do with a piano heirloom. The family must choose whether to sell the instrument to buy some land or keep it due to its emotional significance.
The 51st State is available to stream now on Prime Video.
Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a “telly addict” since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information.
