The Usual Suspects
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Metascore
77 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.8 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 156 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Chazz Palminteri, Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey
  • Summary: Five career criminals in New York are rounded up for a standard police line-up. After release, they get together for a bit of revenge by pulling off a $3 million emerald heist. This scheme brings them to the attention of an underworld crime figure who convinces them to do a highly dangerous job.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Wilmington
    100
    A near-classic blend of mystery, personality, humor and terror, laced with one stunning shock after another. [18 August 1995, Friday, p.C]
    All this critic's reviews
  2. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Michael Sragow
    80
    For my money, The Usual Suspects was the pulp fiction of the '90s.
  3. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Frank Lovece
    60
    Screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie's tough-guy dialogue and Bryan Singer's crisp direction give the ensemble cast every opportunity to shine, and they do.
  4. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    38
    To the degree that you will want to see this movie, it will be because of the surprise, and so I will say no more, except to say that the "solution," when it comes, solves little - unless there is really little to solve, which is also a possibility.

See all 22 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 54
  3. Negative: 0 out of 54
  1. TheWalrus2000
    10
    Bryan Singer provides an outstanding before I went to make superhero films movie that is strongly written and also provides the best Spacey performance ever.… Expand
  2. grandpajoe6191
    8
    "The Usual Suspects" has a misleading storyline with limited settings applied throughout the movie. However, it is Brian Singer's clever direction associated with a two-face performance by Kevin Spacey that made the Climax of the movie possible.… Expand
  3. RDalvi
    7
    Intelligent film. Excellent performances by Kevin Spacey, Chazz Palminteri. Stephen Baldwin surpises with a cool performance. Because of it Is aw many crime thrillers like Man On Fire, Se7en and Fight Club. Only the script has a couple of loose ends. Also leaves some questions unanswered. Even then an intelligent and gritty thriller with a superb ending. McQuarrie is a brilliant writer and Singer a brilliant director.… Expand
  4. JR.
    4
    I'm not sure whats so great about this movie. It really didn't hold my attention for what ever reason and I found the plot pretty bland. It annoyed me as it tried to be intelligent and suprising when I didnt really think it was. Clearly a lot of people liked it so I wish I could see what they saw.There is really nothing I 'did not get' in this mvie and I'm wondering where the layers of depth in the plot are.… Expand

See all 54 User Reviews

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