rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States, Germany; 1995
Directed by Bryan Singer; produced by Michael McDonnell, Bryan Singer; written by Christopher McQuarrie
Starring Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Spacey, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite, Dan Hedaya
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
Three years ago I thought 'The Usual Suspects' was the the third best film
after 'The Godfather' and 'Pulp Fiction'. Since then I have seen a lot of
other movies and today I would still put it in my top 20 list. Together with
some other movies like 'Pulp Fiction', 'Schindler's List' and 'The Shawshank
Redemption', 'The Silence of the Lambs', 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'American
Beauty' it definitely belongs to the best movies made in the nineties.
I am the first to admit you have to see the movie more than once to
appreciate it totally although I did love it the first time. I can also
understand some people lose track of the story if they don't pay close
attention. I have seen it many times now and I think I have noticed every
little thing.
Critics have said the movie is only made for the ending. A build-up that
leads to that great final moment. I don't agree although the ending is one
of the best I have seen in the movies. I wasn't bored a single bit
watching the movie. The opening sequence, the line-up, the way Special Agent
Kujan and Verbal discuss things, the lawyer Kobayashi, the jobs they do in
between, everything is interesting, whether it happened that way or not. Why
do I say this? Because the events we see are only the things Verbal Kint
(Kevin Spacey) is telling Special Agent Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri). I
don't see why that should matter; his story brings nice images to the
screen.
After a line-up five criminals are approached by a lawyer called Kobayashi
(Pete Postlethwaite). Kobayashi claims he is working for Keyser Soze, a name
that terrifies every of the five criminals. The leader of the criminals is
Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne), joined by Verbal, MacManus (Stephen Baldwin),
Fenster (Benicio Del Toro) and Hockney (Kevin Pollak). Keyser Soze wants the
five men to go on a boat, destroy drugs and take the money as their reward.
The conversation between Verbal and Kujan takes place the day after. Verbal
is one of the two survivors, another is a Hungarian lying in the hospital,
having some useful clues. Step by step Verbal tells how things have lead to
the event on the boat, and what we see is his story.
There are some other characters very important to the story and that is one
of the reasons I can understand it is sometimes hard to follow. We go from
'yesterday' to 'present day' to 'six weeks earlier', more and more
characters are introduced. But if you just pay close attention you have to
figure it out. The story is perfect. Together with that great story and a
fine direction by 'X-Men'-director Bryan Singer we have one of the best
ensembles a movie can wish for. Palminteri, Postlethwaite and especially Del
Toro and Spacey are terrific. Spacey won the Oscar for Best Actor in a
Supporting Role. Byrne, Baldwin, Pollak and also Dan Hedaya and Suzy Amis in
smaller parts are convincing. This is a movie you will probably remember for
its ending, yes, and some very nice quotes often said by Verbal, but it is
the whole movie that is memorable.