"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled..."

Rating: 9/10 (24 August 2015)

Starting off with a usual group of petty criminals, The Usual Suspects(1995) pulls off a feat that amazes crowds to this very date. An incredible plot-twist which supports an already gripping storyline makes it an all-time favorite. Featuring Kevin Spacey (Roger "Verbal" Kint), Gabriel Byrne (Dean Keaton), Stephen Baldwin (Michael McManus), Benicio Del Toro (Fred Fenster), Chazz Palminteri (David Kujan), Kevin Pollak (Todd Hockney), and Pete Postlethwaite (Kobayashi), the cast is carefully selected with attention to their respective character's details.
The story starts with Verbal Kint recounting the tale of five men set up to take revenge against the LAPD. Following a truck hijack in New York, five criminals, Kint, Keaton, McManus, Fenster, and Hockney are arrested and brought together for questioning. Since they were but innocent of the crime, they plan a revenge operation against the police. The operation goes well, but then the influence of a legendary mastermind criminal, the dreaded Keyser Söze is felt. It becomes clear that each one of them has wronged Söze at some point and must pay back now.
The final scene of Verbal's narrative is a storytelling masterpiece, a payback job on a ship that leaves 27 men dead in an explosion. The audience cannot help but question now: Who is Keyser Söze?
The minor cinematic details that have been put in the interrogation proceedings between Kujan and Kint may look unnecessary, even commonplace, but in the end make the plot an absolute beauty. Verbal's subtle characteristic brilliance has definitely helped Spacey grab an Academy Award for the Best Supporting Actor.
The movie is not made for the superficial mind. The movie is not made for the lovers of sci-fi, action, or of any Hollywood glitter. Rest assured, the first time the plot twist reveals, you might not even understand it. It takes some time for the sorcery of the storyline to sink in. However, fret not. A repeat viewing of the movie becomes far more interesting as you can clearly notice the devious tricks that the movie plays on us. It is definitely more than what meets the eye.