The Usual Suspects: A Mystery Well Worth Solving

crime, indie, mystery

1:46

1995

Review by Brandon Talks Movies on May 30, 2018

After that, my guess is that you will never hear from him again. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist. And like that… he is gone.

A good mystery will leave the viewer clues throughout that point the ultimate revelation, and The Usual Suspects does exactly that. Directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men, Superman Returns) and starring Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, and Chazz Palminteri, this is an intricate film that rewards multiple viewings and in-depth analysis. Some have criticized it as gimmicky, but I wholeheartedly disagree. The performances are excellent, the details that hint at the ending are subtle, but very intentional, and the script is brilliant. This is an independent film, and that’s a great thing—Hollywood studios would have dumbed this down to make it much more obvious for average viewers. I’m glad they didn’t—as it is, this film is a masterpiece.

The story opens with Roger “Verbal” Kint being brought in for questioning. He’s the only survivor of a major shootout and explosion on a dock the night before, where a shipful of Hungarians and a handful of criminals died. That handful of criminals is significant because each of them, including Verbal Kint, was brought in for a police lineup just a few weeks prior, where most of them met for the first time. While in confinement, the five criminals plan to execute a crime together, but soon find themselves under the thumb of the elusive crime boss Keyser Soze, who has reason to seek revenge on each of them. Soze seems to be pulling all of the strings from behind the scenes, but everyone wants to answer the question: who is Keyser Soze?

It was Keyser Soze, Agent Kujan. I mean the Devil himself. How do you shoot the Devil in the back? What if you miss?

Yes, there is a twist ending here. It’s good, but admittedly not mind-blowing. Most of the criticisms I see of this film are from people who heard that the twist was absolutely mind-blowing and the best in cinema history, only for them to discover that it’s not as big as it was made out to be. The brilliant thing is not the twist, but how seamlessly it’s worked into the film, and how many details you can catch on subsequent viewings. Even the actors didn’t really know how this was going to end until they viewed the final movie at the premier. Each of the main actors at one point believed that his character was Keyser Soze (which director Bryan Singer totally orchestrated), and that heightened the sense of mystery during filming. If you think the twist comes out of nowhere, watch it again. It’s a different film the second time around.

The film itself isn’t a fast-paced action flick. It takes its time, instilling a real sense of danger but focusing on the intricate plot rather than artificially heightening suspense with unnecessary deaths and gunshots. For a crime-mystery, it can seem slow. This is fine if you’re expecting it. It’s a film that forces you to pay attention, and doesn’t spoon-feed the viewer obvious details, but the slow burn of tension pays off in the end.

Should I Watch The Usual Suspects?

The Usual Suspects is an outstanding crime-mystery with a smart script and considerable acting talent. I spent some time analyzing the script in a screenwriting class in college, and there’s not a piece out of place. If you want a mystery that makes you think and doesn’t talk down to you, this is what you’re looking for.

Movies Like The Usual Suspects

Memento (2000) - A man who can’t form short-term memories is trying to put the pieces together to discover who killed his wife. The story is told in two parts: one in the past moving forward, and one in the future moving backward, eventually meeting in the present with the solution to the mystery. The central mystery (and the clues supporting it) are similar to The Usual Suspects, but the viewer may have information that the main character does not—the mystery is how the main character will piece things together. An excellent mystery.
Primal Fear (1996) - This is a legal drama, so most of the film takes place in a courtroom as a defense lawyer works to prove his client innocent. There are twists along the way, and a few clues dropped along the way hint that not everything is as it seems. The central character is complex enough that you’ll probably catch more details on the second viewing.
Gone Girl (2014) - When a woman goes missing, her husband becomes the prime suspect. The woman’s diary contradicts the man’s testimony, and the media latches onto one side of the moral debate. It’s clear that one of them (the husband or the wife) is lying, but why and how are important questions. Much like The Usual Suspects and the other films on this list, don’t expect and open and shut case—there’s a lot to unpack with this one.

Academy Awards

Winner: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Kevin Spacey), Best Writing - Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Christopher McQuarrie)

Runtime: 1:46
Director: Bryan Singer
Year: 1995
Genres: crime, indie, mystery
Rating: R

About Brandon

My name is Brandon, and I love movies. Not bad ones, though—just the good ones. I’m curating and reviewing a list of classic, essential-viewing, or just plain good movies from all decades, and I've been reviewing them since 2016. I also co-host Peculiar Picture Show, a podcast about movies and mental health and write about Dungeons & Dragons options, builds, and optimization.

The Usual Suspects: A Mystery Well Worth Solving

Should I Watch The Usual Suspects?

Movies Like The Usual Suspects

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