SummaryFive 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.
SummaryFive 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.
As an avid cinephile, who watches a lot of films to help me to be distracted from the pressures of everyday life, old and new and of all genres (have never had a bias against any genre and never love older films and dismiss new films, or vice versa), 'The Usual Suspects' was one of the finest films personally seen in a while.
Other films to have that effect on me (and garnered 10/10 ratings, a rare rating for me these days) are 'LA Confidential', 'Amores Perros', Orson Welles' version of 'The Trial', 'City of God' and 'The Song of Bernadette', though some films came close as well as re-watches of favourites like 'Se7en', 'Much Ado About Nothing' (1993) and 'The Remains of the Day'.
Simply put, 'The Usual Suspects' is a magnificent film all round that deserves to be re-watched over and over again, one of the few films seen recently to not find any fault with it. Fully deserving of its reputation as one of the best modern, and perhaps overall, films ever made. Not everybody is going to disagree and that is fine.
'The Usual Suspects' is slickly and audaciously made, filmed with a lot of style and is atmospherically directed. It is also hauntingly scored. It is intricately and intelligently written by Christopher McQuarrie, some of the best screen-writing he ever did. It is beautifully and deftly directed by Bryan Singer. If remembered correctly, neither McQuarrie or Singer were well known at the time and it was 'The Usual Suspects' that put them on the map.
Film is famous for the iconic line-up scene, the noticeboard that haunts everybody forever and its killer twist, one for the ages and not one to forget in the long one. Twists have wildly varied in film, there are some ingenious ones but also some naff ones, 'The Usual Suspects' is one of the ingenious ones. 'The Usual Suspects' as said before doesn't just have its twist going for it. The flashback-packed story is similarly intricate and never feels muddled or convoluted.
It has some of the finest ensemble acting there has ever been. This is especially true for a mesmerising Kevin Spacey in one of the most deserved Oscar Wins that year. Spacey is just one of the all round brilliant performances. Pete Postelthwaite, an always dependable actor who is still very much missed, is suitably mysterious, and Dan Hedaya and Chazz Palminteri make their mark as the confused cops. Steven Baldwin doesn't have a particularly challenging role but has never been better, Gabriel Byrne is also solid.
Overall, magnificent film in every sense. Recommended with no hesitation. 10/10 Bethany Cox
The Usual Suspects is a maze that moviegoers will be happy to get lost in, a criminal roller coaster with twists so unsettling no choice exists but to hold on and go along for the ride.
Screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie's tough-guy dialogue and Bryan Singer's crisp direction give the ensemble cast every opportunity to shine, and they do.
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.
Usual Suspects is one of the best detective thriller of the 90s. Great story, strong cast (Kevin Spacey played his role perfectly) and crazy ending in the last 15 minutes. The plot twists worked perfectly, I, as a viewer, did not see the tricks in the flesh until the end of the film. Bryan Singer made his best film of his career and went to make numerous X-Mens films.
It’s a good movie, the most dated movie I’ve seen, ever. The entire twist is absolutely absurd. The whole premise of the movie is STUPID to be frank, but it is entertaining
Don't really get the point of seeing this kind of entertainment movie, not to mention one that you immediately figured out from the VERY beginning the biggest "suspense" that it tries to keep. You learn nothing. What a total waste of time.
The Usual Suspects is just so usual, that i predicted the end in the beginning. So decent and boring, and i couldn't care less about the characters. But i think you should watch it, because all other people enjoyed it, and it may be just my point of view.