The Usual Suspects (1995)
8.172 /10
10881 Reviews
Rate This Movie:
Held in an L.A. interrogation room, Verbal Kint attempts to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord, Keyser Soze, not only exists, but was also responsible for drawing him and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro harbor – leaving few survivors. Verbal lures his interrogators with an incredible story of the crime lord's almost supernatural prowess.
Videos & Photos
cast
... McManus
... Keaton
... Fenster
... Hockney
... Verbal
User reviews
Great movie with superb performance from Kevin Spacey, well accompanied with the rest of the cast.
Director:
Writer:
Christopher McQuarrie (Writer)
Release Date:
1995-07-19
Run Time:
106 min
MMPA Rating:
R
Reviews of
The Usual Suspects
Great movie with superb performance from Kevin Spacey, well accompanied with the rest of the cast.
Keaton always said, "I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid of him." Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Keyser Soze.
The Usual Suspects is directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie. It stars Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey, Kevin Pollack, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio Del Toro, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite, Giancarlo Esposito and Dan Hedaya. Music is by John Ottman and cinematography by Newton Thomas Sigel.
Held in an L.A. interrogation room, Verbal Kint (Spacey) attempts to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord, Keyser Soze, not only exists, but was also responsible for drawing him and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro harbor – leaving few survivors.
It sort of sidled into movie theatres in 1995 with no fanfare or heralded notices. Yet it wasn't long before word of mouth got around that The Usual Suspects might actually be the must see film of the year. Fledgeling director and writer - Singer and McQuarrie - produce a masterclass of crime/mystery/noir plotting in a whirl of intricate plot shifts and deft sleights of hand.
The core essence of the story is simple, just who is Keyser Soze? His reputation is one of utter fear, he may even be the devil himself. What transpires throughout the film is a number of scenes told in flashback form and narrated by Kint as the cops put the heat on him.
We are introduced to the five criminals who make up the suspects of the title, where dialogue pings with machismo laced humour. The addition of Postlethwaite's Kobayashi character, one of Soze's harbinger's of doom, further ups the ante of the story's deliciously corkscrew intrigue.
It all builds to a climax that - has you pondering just what you have watched previously. Yet here's the key as to why the pic still holds up on repeat viewings, we have been outsmarted, for as we dive in and enjoy the across the board great perfs, we have been privy to something that will stand the test of time for the genre it sits in. The repeat viewings factor still, some decades later, is as strong as ever.
The advent of time and home format releases etc have only improved the pic's own mythical status. Behind the scenes egos and dislikes on set only add further strength to the characterisations, as does one main man thinking he himself must be Soze when in fact he was way off. There's a trail of clues in the film that will reveal who Soze is - who knew!? - and on it goes. The Usual Suspects is the filmic gift that keeps on giving. 10/10
**A clever twist and heavy fan support are the only stand-out aspects of this average heist film.**
Bloggers, reviews, and friends hyped The Usual Suspects for years before I finally watched it, and it was ok. The movie had a pretty clever plot twist that the entire film was building towards from the beginning. Unfortunately, without the twist, the film is pretty mediocre. Brute force characterized the heists over clever planning. Keyser Söze's brilliant manipulation of the characters around him seems less mastermind and more taking advantage of criminals that aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. Many people would disagree with me, but The Usual Suspects rates average at best for me.
**A film that deserves to be revisited and remembered.**
I think it's unfair that this movie seems to be so forgotten nowadays, but maybe that's because of the intricate plot, loaded with flashbacks. I can understand that, but I think there are even more confusing films out there that have never gone out of style. Anyway, it's a quality film, with good actors and a story, to say the least, intriguing. A small note: the film took home both Oscars for which it was nominated (Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor).
It all starts when a group of men, apparently random, is taken by the police to participate in a line-up. What seems at first very casual, is not: all of them were criminals well known to the authorities, and most particularly one of them, who was also a policeman and seemed to have retired from crime and to be living an honest life. After this opening scene, the film shows the efforts of the police to capture those responsible for a shooting on a boat, with several dead and a single survivor, who will tell everything that happened. And I say no more because this script is one of those that gets better the less you know in advance.
The cast is dominated by two great actors: Gabriel Byrne and Kevin Spacey. Each in their respective character, but both very committed to their work, they steal the public's attention whenever they appear, ending up being, in a way, complementary: Spacey gives life to an apparently fragile and sick man who would be the most unlikely suspect, whereas Byrne is the typical "tough guy". I don't know if I can say that this film is Spacey's best so far, maybe that's premature, but it's safe that his work here opened doors for him to fly higher. Four years later, he would go on to win the Oscar for Best Actor with “American Beauty”. Byrne, on the other hand, is one of those talented actors who never seem to have had their big moment in cinema. I also want to highlight the good work of Pete Postlethwaite, in yet another secondary character of strong relevance, two years after receiving his (only so far) Oscar nomination.
Technically, I think it's worth praising the direction of Bryan Singer, who stayed true to the suspense and managed to resist the temptation to let the film slip into loud and noisy action scenes that weren't really necessary. The best thing about the film is the tense environment it builds, the enigmatic and mysterious way in which it tells its story, and this would have been partly lost if the director filled his film with random shootings and chases. Another point that deserves a note of praise is the soundtrack, and in particular the main theme, used in the opening and end credits, and which is perfectly atmospheric. The rest remains average, but is done without glaring errors. The only points I feel I should criticize negatively are the opening credits graphics, which look very dated now.
Upon watching The Usual Suspects, I was initially excited to see what all the hype was about however, I found the film to be somewhat of a letdown. That being said, I do think that there were some strong aspects to the movie.
From a technical standpoint, The Usual Suspects was quite impressive. The camera direction by Bryan Singer was particularly noteworthy, especially given that this was only his second full-length feature film.
Where the movie fell short for me was in the writing. While the dialogue and overall story were intriguing, the way they were executed left much to be desired. In particular, the first act of the film was disjointed and difficult to follow. The audience was thrown right into the middle with the suspected criminals, with little information given about their backstories or their connections to one another. As new characters were introduced, the plot became even more complex and convoluted, making it challenging to keep up with all the moving pieces. Once the film starts to conclude the second act, the pieces become a little more streamlined, which makes the back half of the movie much more enjoyable.
In terms of acting, the performances were a bit of a mixed bag. Some actors, such as Kevin Spacey and Gabriel Byrne, delivered grounded and impressive performances. However, other characters felt like overacted caricatures of quirky criminals, such as Benicio del Toro's character.
One of the main selling points of The Usual Suspects is its "incredible" twist ending. However, I personally saw it coming from a mile away, which was a bit disappointing. It's possible that the film's score may improve upon a second viewing, but for now, I can only give it three stars. That rating is primarily due to the strong technical aspects of the movie, as without those, it would likely only receive two-and-a-half stars.
Score: 56% ⚠️
Verdict: Decent
SUPERNATURAL THRILLER
Director Singer and writer McQuarrie won't admit that it's a supernatural thriller, and insist it's just the goofy Hollywood movie it appears to be at first, but a few viewings will let you know that it is indeed a supernatural thriller.
The story centers around five criminals who think they are gods, and therein lies the first clue to this being a sueprnatural thriller. Also, one of the men, Keaton, played by a Judd Hirsch look alike named Gabriel Byrne, is making a deal, along with his lawyer girlfriend, with some men in a high level restaurant.
Upon a few viewings, you will realize that these men are not what they seem, because the lady lawyer eventually is seen making a "deal with the devil".
The "devil" is known to the five men as a character called "Kaiser". The allusions to Caesar (which the word "kaiser" comes from) is a biblical reference to a supernatural evil.
You will find out who the devil is when you realize that the biblical devil is incapable of telling the truth, and so everything he says is a lie. The five criminals all believe they can be "better devils". One of the five is actually a stand in for the female lawyer, for reasons you will know if you watch the film.
A true masterpiece of the crime genre! Five usual suspects are rounded up by the police to take part in an identity parade following a New York heist. It's clear that they had nothing to do with it, but when pitched together decide that they will avenge themselves on the NYPD. Their scheme progresses well until the intervention of international super-criminal "Keyser Söze" via his debonaire but menacing agent "Mr. Kobayashi" (a superb Pete Posthlethwaite) and soon it becomes clear that the police are not the only people who are the targets here. It's told in a clever, retrospective, narrative style with some great performances from Kevin Spacey and Gabriel Byrne that leaves us pondering just who is "Söze" and to deal with an ending that you"ll never forget!
Such a masterpiece in the film culture 🕵️♂️🕵️♂️🕵️♂️
**_Who IS Keyser Söze? Who freakin' cares?_**
Released in 1995 and directed by Bryan Singer, "The Usual Suspects" is a crime drama/mystery about five thugs who decide to team up and get revenge on the police (Keven Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Steve Baldwin, Keven Pollak and Benicio Del Toro). After their successful operation, the five are manipulated by the legendary criminal Keyser Söze into taking a much riskier gig. One is captured and he's interrogated by the police (Chazz Palminteri & Giancarlo Esposito). The big question is: Who IS Keyser Söze? Pete Postlethwaite is on hand as Söze's right-hand man while Suzy Amis plays the babe of one of the thugs.
This is a "twist ending" flick and, honestly, the film is too reliant on it. The whole movie is just "wait for the twist," it isn't actually that entertaining to sit through. In fact, most of the dialog is pretty boring; and only had some value in the end. Moreover, the main characters are just foul-mouthed, tough-guy low-lifes, although Spacey's character is somewhat interesting. As such, it's next to impossible to care about them. Let 'em all kill each other for all I care. Yes, the ending is clever in some ways, but everything that goes on up to that point isn't really worth enduring. As far as the twist goes, I was able to pinpoint the identity of the mystery man down to two people; and I was right. But there are some interesting details to the twist that I doubt anyone could figure out without first knowing the ending and then re-watching the flick. But, after watching, I'm not interested in seeing it again. The story and the characters aren't worth it. The film didn't make me care enough to watch again.
Filmmakers must understand that, for a movie to be enduring, it has to be about the journey not the destination. And, for me, the convoluted journey in "The Usual Suspects" is just dull and laborious. If the characters were worthy and I cared about them I might be more interested, but that's not the case. Then there's something that I experienced a couple of times while observing the five main guys babble back and forth: I had the overwhelming sense that these were just actors playing 'hip' tough-tawkin' hooligans rather than the characters they were supposed to be. This is never a good sign.
I can't believe the high rating this movie has on IMDb; it's seriously overrated.
The film runs 106 minutes and was shot in the Los Angeles area and New York City.
GRADE: C-
***SPOILER ALERT***
I want to emphasize that this review does not criticize the film based on pretending to "know the twist all along" (as stated above, I was able to figure out who the mystery man likely was, but not the other details). The problem is that the entire movie is based around listening to a guy make up a bunch of stuff. Gee, so all we really know is there was a ship that got torched and Kevin Spacey's character doesn't really have a limp. Okay, thanks for wasting my time with everything else. Great storytelling (rolling my eyes).
Cast & Crew of
The Usual Suspects
Cast
... McManus
... Keaton
... Fenster
... Hockney
... Verbal
... Dave Kujan
... Kobayashi
... Edie Finneran
... Jack Baer
... Jeff Rabin
... Smuggler
... Saul Berg
... Fortier
... Renault
... Dr. Plummer
... Dr. Walters
... Arkosh Kovash
... Translator
... Sketch Artist
... Strausz
... Rizzi
... Daniel Metzheiser
... Arresting Officer
... Cop on Pier
... Bodyguard #1
... Bodyguard #2
... Bodyguard #3
... Bodyguard #4
... Keyser's Wife
... Arturro Marquez
... Arturro's Bodyguard
... Old Cop
... Redfoot the Fence (uncredited)
... Interrogation Cop (uncredited)
Crew
... Production Design
... Director
... Executive Producer
... Casting
... Producer
... Producer
... Executive Producer
... Production Supervisor
... Director of Photography
... Art Direction
... Executive Producer
... Costume Design
... Executive Producer
... Set Decoration
... Editor
... Sound Recordist
... Sound Recordist
... Foley Recordist
... Foley Recordist
... Negative Cutter
... Foley Artist
... ADR Recordist
... Assistant Sound Editor
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... ADR Mixer
... Stunts
... Driver
... Driver
... Best Boy Grip
... ADR Editor
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Driver
... Key Grip
... ADR Coordinator
... ADR Supervisor
... Driver
... Foley Editor
... Foley Artist
... Foley Supervisor
... Stunts
... ADR Mixer
... Stunts
... Assistant Sound Editor
... ADR Recordist
... Extras Casting
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Grip
... Grip
... Electrician
... Grip
... Grip
... Best Boy Electric
... Electrician
... Electrician
... Marine Coordinator
... Dolly Grip
... Driver
... Driver
... Assistant Property Master
... Grip
... Storyboard Artist
... Electrician
... Editor
... Still Photographer
... Makeup Effects
... Special Effects Coordinator
... Transportation Captain
... Writer
... Steadicam Operator
... Script Supervisor
... Location Manager
... Co-Producer
... First Assistant Camera
... Additional Photography
... Craft Service
... Supervising Sound Editor
... Orchestrator
... Boom Operator
... Gaffer
... Transportation Coordinator
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Script Supervisor
... Sound Effects Editor
... Makeup Department Head
... Casting Associate
... Sound Mixer
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Location Manager
... Stunt Coordinator
... Steadicam Operator
... Art Department Coordinator
... Set Costumer
... Still Photographer
... Casting Associate
... Post Production Supervisor
... Sound Effects Editor
... Key Hair Stylist
... Transportation Captain
... Transportation Co-Captain
... Music Editor
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Costume Supervisor
... Sound Effects Editor
... Color Timer
... Unit Publicist
... Still Photographer
... Assistant Editor
... Original Music Composer
... Dialogue Editor
... Dialogue Editor
... Second Unit Director
... First Assistant "B" Camera
... Second Unit Director of Photography
... First Assistant Director
... Second Unit Director of Photography
... Second Assistant Director
... Second Assistant Camera
... Second Second Assistant Director
... First Assistant "B" Camera
... Property Master
Videos & Photos of
The Usual Suspects
Videos (3)
Photos 28
Similar Movies To
The Usual Suspects
The Goodbye Kiss (2006)
6.8/10
Leftist radical-turned-terrorist Giorgio—who fled to Latin America in the '70s to escape justice—decides to surrender after hearing about the fall of the Berlin Wall. Determined to lead a comfortable, bourgeois life in his native Italy, he cuts a deal with a shady police chief, getting his sentence reduced in exchange for ratting out former comrades. Once released, Giorgio obsessively pursues his dream of becoming a "respectable" citizen, even if the way is paved with larceny, pimping, drug-dealing, rape, heist, and murder...
Release: 2006-02-24
Ocean's Eight (2018)
7/10
Debbie Ocean, a criminal mastermind, gathers a crew of female thieves to pull off the heist of the century at New York's annual Met Gala.
Release: 2018-06-07
Texas Heart (2016)
4.7/10
A California lawyer, hiding out in a small Texas town while on the run from the mob, risks exposure when he decides to defend a local man he believes innocent of murder.
Release: 2016-05-20
Wildfire (1988)
3.5/10
Since they met the first time in boarding school as little kids, it was obvious that the orphans Kay and Dave would become a couple. But at sixteen, Dave foolishly attempted to rob a bank with a water pistol, and ended up in jail for eight years. Meanwhile Kay was sent to foster parents, where she met the successful business man Mike, whom she married and bore two kids. Now Frank is released from prison and immediately starts wooing Kay again. Although she's happy with Mike, she can't withdraw herself completely. Old memories and her husband's jealousy make her spend more and more time with him.
Release: 1988-09-02
The Addiction (1995)
6.445/10
A vampiric doctoral student tries to follow the philosophy of a nocturnal comrade and control her thirst for blood.
Release: 1995-10-06
Whirlwind (2007)
4.7/10
A hot, young and charming man with ulterior motives enters the lives of a tight-knit group of gay men in New York City and at first adds excitement and intrigue to their group, but events soon spiral out of control as he deliberately attempts to destroy their relationships.
Release: 2007-12-31
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
6.547/10
The controlled explosion of an atomic bomb in the Arctic Circle awakens a frozen dinosaur that will wreak havoc in New York City.
Release: 1953-06-13
Scream (1996)
7.42/10
A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.
Release: 1996-12-20
The Sicilian Clan (1969)
7.604/10
An ambitious mobster plans an elaborate diamond heist while seducing the daughter-in-law of a ruthless mob patriarch as a determined police commissioner closes in on all of them.
Release: 1969-12-05
Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)
7.4/10
An uptight MBA student falls for the charismatic new neighbor who charms her troubled family – but he has a secret that forces him to push her away.
Release: 2003-11-27
L.A. Vice (1989)
3.7/10
Detective Jon Louroy Chance investigates a string of murders in Los Angeles and uncovers a ruthless kidnapping scheme.
Release: 1989-10-01
Charlie's Angels (2000)
5.847/10
The captivating crime-fighting trio who are masters of disguise, espionage and martial arts are back! When a devious mastermind embroils them in a plot to destroy individual privacy, the Angels, aided by their loyal sidekick Bosley, set out to bring down the bad guys. But when a terrible secret is revealed, it makes the Angels targets for assassination.
Release: 2000-11-02
Rambo: Last Blood (2019)
6.532/10
After fighting his demons for decades, John Rambo now lives in peace on his family ranch in Arizona, but his rest is interrupted when Gabriela, the granddaughter of his housekeeper María, disappears after crossing the border into Mexico to meet her biological father. Rambo, who has become a true father figure for Gabriela over the years, undertakes a desperate and dangerous journey to find her.
Release: 2019-09-18
Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler (1922)
7.7/10
Dr. Mabuse and his organization of criminals are in the process of completing their latest scheme, a theft of information that will allow Mabuse to make huge profits on the stock exchange. Afterwards, Mabuse disguises himself and attends the Folies Bergères show, where Cara Carozza, the main attraction of the show, passes him information on Mabuse's next intended victim, the young millionaire Edgar Hull. Mabuse then uses psychic manipulation to lure Hull into a card game where he loses heavily. When Police Commissioner von Wenk begins an investigation of this mysterious crime spree, he has little to go on, and he needs to find someone who can help him.
Release: 1922-04-27
The Good Thief (2002)
6.1/10
An aging gambler on a losing streak attempts to rob a casino in Monte Carlo. But someone's already tipped off the cops before he even makes a move.
Release: 2002-09-06
Murder by Death (1976)
7.2/10
Lionel Twain invites the world's five greatest detectives to a 'dinner and murder'. Included are a blind butler, a deaf-mute maid, screams, spinning rooms, secret passages, false identities and more plot turns and twists than are decently allowed.
Release: 1976-06-23
Lord Edgware Dies (1934)
5.8/10
A talented American actress enlists the help of the famed Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, to negotiate a divorce from her husband, Lord Edgware, only to find him the next day stabbed to death in his library. Who would want him dead?
Release: 1934-07-31
Black Coffee (1931)
6/10
Black Coffee is a 1931 British detective film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott. Based on the 1930 play Black Coffee by Agatha Christie featuring her famous private detective Hercule Poirot, it stars Austin Trevor as Poirot with Richard Cooper playing his companion Captain Hastings. A famous but hated scientist, Sir Amory, is killed during a house party, and some of his valuable papers are missing. Poirot rapidly determines the cause of death and the motive, then narrows down the suspects to the most likely culprit.
Release: 1931-08-24
Kiss of Death (1995)
5.7/10
Jimmy Kilmartin's an ex-con who's trying to go straight. But he can't say no to a quick driving job because his so-called friend's life is threatened. The job is for Little Junior Brown, a violent and powerful villain. When things go wrong, Jimmy is left to do the time, and his whole life is turned upside-down, but if that wasn't enough, the cops won't leave Jimmy alone when he gets out... They want Little Junior Brown.
Release: 1995-04-21
One Eight Seven (1997)
6.7/10
After surviving a stabbing by a student, teacher Trevor Garfield moves from New York to Los Angeles. There, he resumes teaching as a substitute teacher. The education system, where violent bullies control the classrooms and the administration is afraid of lawsuits, slowly drives Garfield mad.
Release: 1997-07-29