An Elaborate Plot With A Breathtaking Twist

Rating: 10/10 (10 July 2010)

This is a movie review I wrote for my English course at the Community College of Denver. I hope it helps give some added insight to this incredible movie. Enjoy!
The Usual Suspects
If you are looking for beautiful women, breath-taking CGI, and hilarious comedy then look elsewhere. However, if you are looking for an elaborate plot and brilliant twist of an ending then "The Usual Suspects" is a movie I would highly recommend. The story begins with five well-known criminals being put into a police line-up and getting asked to say a particular line. This setup quickly turns into a complex investigation that revolves around the simple question, "Who is Keyser Soze?" It is cleverly directed by Bryan Singer, and I would even go so far as to consider it the best mystery movie I have ever seen. Though I would not consider the score and special effects anything to be awed by, what really makes this movie so good is the incredible cast of actors, the gripping plot, and one of the greatest twist-endings in cinematic history.
To begin, the acting in this movie is certainly not something that can be overlooked. Kevin Spacey plays the role of Roger "Verbal" Kint, a cripple and one of the suspects whose version of the story we are seeing through the mind of Dave Kujan, a detective played by Chazz Palminteri. Kint's explanation of the events are what shapes the entire plot, and Kevin Spacey's portrayal of him could not have been better. He was even deservedly awarded Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars that year for his role. Gabriel Byrne's acting of another of the suspects, Dean Keaton, was also breathtaking. There are several one-on-one interactions between Keaton and Kint in the film that help to pull the viewer even deeper into the plot and shape the ending. Their on-screen chemistry is prefect, and I do not believe either one of those roles could have been played better. The cast of the five suspects is also complimented by Stephen Baldwin, Benicio Del Toro, and Kevin Pollack who play the other three crooks in the lineup. Their performances are equally amazing and add to the overall feel of the film. Del Toro especially, whose adaptation of Fred Fenster is unlike anything he has ever done before. If not for the Oscar-worthy acting by everyone involved, the movie would certainly be far-less riveting.
Then, another aspect of what makes this movie so incredible would have to be the gripping plot. From the lineup at the start till the brilliant twist at the end, this movie grabs you and will not let you go. All of it centers around the mystery of what happened on a ship that caused 27 people to die. Only two men can fill in the blanks. One of them is a badly burned and comatose Hungarian, and the other is Roger "Verbal" Kint, a gimp crook. His story of what happened involves five suspects that were brought together, a man named Keyser Soze, and several intense heists. The plot is so elaborately constructed that leaving for even a few minutes could cause you to miss something important. Though it may seem difficult to have to pay attention to every little bit of information you are being shown, I believe that it is one of the most beautiful and unique aspects of this film. Every little detail is made to fit perfectly with the twist at the end, making it so that every time you watch this movie you notice something new and intriguing.
Finally, the jaw-dropping plot twist at the end of the film is what completes this story. Without giving too much away, Kint finishes his explanation to Kujan about what happened on the boat that left 27 dead, and Kujan then aggressively confronts Kint about what he believes really happened and who he really believes Keyser Soze is. Just when you believe everything has been figured out, Kujan comes to a realization that takes your breath away. Even the way Kujan comes to this realization could not have been filmed better. It consists of a sequence of shots from his point of view that puts everything together for both him and the viewer so that you feel like you are coming to this shocking conclusion with him. Your mind will be running back to all the previous events as you piece together all the little details leading up to what just happened. In the end, I was left with a sense of wonder at how someone could come up with something so brilliant. It is hands down the best twist ending I have ever seen and a fitting conclusion to a great movie.
"Who is Keyser Soze?" This simple question helps to create one of the best mystery movies of all-time. In fact, the American Film Institute ranked it at #10 in their list of the greatest movies in the genre. The incredible cast of actors, the elaborate plot, and the breathtaking twist-ending all come together to create this masterpiece. So next time you decide to watch a movie in your spare time, keep in mind "The Usual Suspects". I would highly recommend it.