The Usual Suspects (DVD)

After a shoot-out on a boat, one of the few survivors, a cripple known as Verbal, is forced by the police to tell them what happened. His story starts a few weeks before. A truck is hijacked in New York, and, because of a lack of suspects, the police round up five career criminals, including Verbal, who could have been involved, but weren't. As revenge, they decide to carry out a heist against the police, who have been running an illegal taxi service. However, the five then find themselves in fear of a legendary criminal gang leader called Keyser Soze, whom all have apparently wronged at one time or another. Just what is Soze's plan for the men? And is Verbal going to ...  Read the complete review

The Usual Suspects is one of those films where the less you know before you see it, the better. So, in case you're one of the few people who have never seen it, I'll limit the plot summary to this: a group of five criminals are brought together in a police line-up and subsequently team up to do a job. There are two things that make this film so strong: the plot and the lead actors. Starting with the plot, it's a twisty-turny, labyrinthine plot that often leaves you wondering what on earth is happening. Not that the plot is confusing - it's actually very clearly written and the basic structure of the film is fairly obvious. What's not clear, however, is how all ...  Read the complete review

A film of which some describe as too clever for its own good, and some describe as a film with one of the most ingenious storylines and finales, not just in a few years, but in cinematic history. Director Bryan Singer’s crime thriller, who was all but unknown at the time of its release, centres itself around five career criminals (played by Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak, and Stephen Baldwin) who meet after being rounded up for a standard police line-up. The story is told in a Los Angeles interrogation room by Kevin Spacey’s character, Verbal Kint. Upon their release, the men join together to pull off an elaborate stunt ...  Read the complete review

note: also appears in part on Flixster and The Student Room The Usual Suspects is the film that brought X-Men and Valkyrie director Bryan Singer to prominence. It's a neo noir that features an impressive, and twisty, plot that's been likened to the complex stories written by 1950s authors Dashiel Hammet and Raymond Chandler. It won Kevin Spacey an Academy Award for his performance, and the screenplay also won an Oscar. The film opens as Keaton (Gabriel Byrne) is on a boat that's aflame. He is approached by a man noted to be Keyser Soze, a mysterious, phantom-like individual that nobody can identity. He seemingly murders Keaton, and then FBI Agent ...  Read the complete review

Released in 1995, THE USUAL SUSPECTS is a fascinating crime thriller. Kevin Spacey's character, Verbal tell's the story to a police officer of a heist meaning the film goes from the present to the past. It starts with five suspects in a line up agreeing to team up to expose corrupt cops. The line up includes Benecio Del Torro as Fenster, Stephen Baldwin as McManus and the ex corrupt cop trying to turn straight Keaton played by Gabriel Byrne. After exposing the corrupt cops, the suspects are hired to commit other crimes. However when one goes wrong they are summoned by the mysterious Keyzer Soze's lawyer, who many believe is real and some a myth. ...  Read the complete review