the title come from an alteration an adolescent inmate in a correctional facility make on the front cover of his school book on government and title the united state while he add of ( his name ) . many characterization in this movie work well the scene between leland ( ryan gosling ) and becky ( jena malone ) and pearl ( don cheadle ) and father fitzgerald ( spacey ) as well a with leland and becky and sister julie ( michelle williams ) and among many others . but the central thread of this movie the fulcrum on which everything hang be the character and motif of leland . he a somewhat shy and passive and nice high school student who daringly introduce himself to becky whom ( we find ) be go to an alternative school because of a past history of drug problem . in becky family and she have a sister and julie and who just graduate from high school and preparing to go on to college while julie boy friend and julie age ( and whose parent have recently die ) be also live with them . leland live with his mother while his father ( kevin spacey ) and mother have long be divorce and his father be a famous novelist . leland be very perceptive . the young boy in the sixth sense saw dead people while leland see teenage lover and recognize that year later they will divorce and that pain be go to follow many people present experience of happiness . but and for reason that be never make explicit and his prescient gift seem to operate some time and for some people and some relationship and and not for others . . part of the movie feel a bit like a derivative quilt borrow from american beauty and the sixth sense and the graduate and and possibly some others i do not recognize . that wouldn not be bad if only the character of leland work . i think gosling do a great job of play leland but the script and the story impose limitation . would such an observant and meditative young man ever be homicidal . even for altruistic reason . nothing in the film give a reason for this . i be a retired therapist with much experience work with family and teenager while while many of the reaction show in the film work this part and this most essential element certainly do not . and there be at least one other element which and in my experience and would not fit with real life although it not a critical . the reason for the difference between the sister and becky and julie and be never hint at but that okay . once two sib begin occupy different role ( one the all good girl and the other the troubled one ) and the role themselves can begin drive each other to more extreme position . for the troubled one and becky and it kind of and what do i have to do to be love around here give up be me and become julie . and the pressure to live up to be the all good and parent please child and be no less intense on julie . so and why would she break up with her boy friend of long standing and of whom her parent so obviously approve . don cheadle be good a leland teacher while all others be good in their part . 98 % of the scene be good . what be miss be that crucial slip in understanding human nature . good act while flaw story and psychology while worth see while not a total loss .