The Usual Suspects
Composite Score: 86.13
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollack, Pete Postlethwaite, Suzy Amis, Giancarlo Esposito, and Dan Hedaya
Director: Bryan Singer
Writer: Christopher McQuarrie
Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
MPAA Rating: R for violence and a substantial amount of strong language
Box Office: $23.34 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
The Usual Suspects is Bryan Singer and Christopher McQuarrie’s crime thriller about a group of criminals who embark on a crime spree after connecting in a routine NYPD lineup. The film stars Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio Del Toro, and Kevin Pollack as its band of thieves, joined by Chazz Palminteri as customs investigator Dave Kujan, Pete Postlethwaite as the enigmatic lawyer Kobayashi, Giancarlo Esposito as FBI agent Jack Baer, and Dan Hedaya as L.A. police captain Jeff Rabin. The film, told in nonlinear format by the one surviving member of the gang as he’s getting ready to make bail in Los Angeles, follows the group as they find themselves caught in a web of criminal enterprise masterminded by the underworld boogeyman called Keyser Soze. The film was nominated for and won two Academy Awards – Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Spacey) – and is considered one of the best crime thrillers of all time, with extra accolades directed to its plot twist and writing.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Kevin Spacey and Bryan Singer reached heights of fame thanks to the success of this film, which then enabled their more predatory and problematic natures to go unchecked for a long time. We know these guys are sleazy, and that does give the film a bit of an unfortunate negative tinge to the whole thing. That being said, it’s a really good film that doesn’t really feature the director or any actors trying to excuse their behavior that’s been called into question – unlike basically every Woody Allen film made after 1985 – so it’s one of the easier instances of the possibility of separating the art from the artist with low stakes. Obviously, if you already own the film or can find some way of watching it without sending residuals toward Singer and Spacey, that’d be better. Otherwise, the film does move at a pretty high pace, jumping between timelines and locations fairly fluidly, which can leave you behind if you’re not locked in when you sit down to watch it, so don’t necessarily treat your first time watch of The Usual Suspects as a casual Saturday afternoon affair (even if you have had the twist spoiled for you by watching Derry Girls or seeing alternate posters or some other method).
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
The best films with plot twists remain good even on the second, third, and fourth watches, and – the questionable nature of those involved notwithstanding – The Usual Suspects continues to hold up. Great dialogue, an unforgettable performance from Spacey, a plot that moves and keeps you hooked on the present, and, yes, one of the most iconic plot twists in film history all help it hold its place in the pantheon of great films. McQuarrie has done a great job with both the story and the dialogue of crafting a crime thriller that pays homage to what came before while still feeling completely original in its execution. Characters have fun and memorable lines, heists go sideways, backs get stabbed, but the particular weaving of all of those elements into the single tapestry that is The Usual Suspects continues to feel fresh every time I revisit it.
Horrible of a human being as Kevin Spacey might be, the man could act, and his portrayal of Verbal Kint is brilliant, playing the victim and the criminal sides of the character with equal care and commitment. You do want to believe him, even though, from the jump, you know him to be an unreliable narrator as a criminal. You also want to believe that Palminteri’s Kujan is going to get the better of him because how could this cowardly, physically impaired conman ever outsmart a hard-nosed government investigator? You even want him to make it out of everything because he’s the least “criminal” of all of his associates and even in the moments of flashback, you find yourself on pins and needles wondering how he’ll make it out of these altercations. It’s a pitiful and chilling performance that remains in the annals of film history.
With a plot twist that stands the test of time, a phenomenal script, and a memorable performance from its primary witness, The Usual Suspects earns its place in cinematic history, standing among the other great crime thrillers as one of the best. Obviously, the film has been tainted quite a bit by the actions of Kevin Spacey and Bryan Singer, but they can’t totally ruin one of the greatest films of all time. Currently, you can stream this film on Amazon Prime Video if you’d like to check it out.
