The greatest trick the devil ever pulled....

Rating: 9/10 (25 January 2005)

The devil in this case being director Bryan Singer and writer Chris McQuarrie. With this film, they have pulled a trick that is not likely to be repeated anytime soon. It starts out like an ordinary crime movie, with foul-mouthed clichéd criminals: the funny gay one, the tough new yawker, the experienced veteran, trying to go straight. Yet, therein lies the beauty and irony of this movie. "No way they'd line up five guys like us in the same room" says one character as they start to plan their revenge crime. But that is the point. They are the usual suspects, the guys you automatically know are guilty when a crime has been committed. Or are they? Is it all a trick on us? On them? Or are they pulling a trick of their own?
This film takes crime thriller formulas, makes you trust in them, and then reveals the truth...but what is that's a lie? The story is related by Verbal Kint, the only survivor of the whole incident. As the story grows continues, we begin to realize the truth, only to have our opinions challenged five minutes later.
This is an original must see. The performances are unbelievable, especially Kevin Spacey as Verbal Kint. I purposely have not included much detail about the plot, simply because even after watching it several times, I'm not really sure who is who and what is what. Watch it. See you if you can guess. Only one person knows for sure.....