One incredible film...

Rating: 10/10 (20 August 1999)

One of the best crime dramas ever, period. This movie is even more impressive considering its Brian Singer's directoral debut. Although he employs a few techniques from the tired box-of-suspense-tricks, they never seem cliché with this screenplay, and Singer wields them brilliantly. The one scene that sticks out in my mind is when Keaton sees Edie working in Kobayashi's office, and they abort their operation. The camera focuses on Keaton from behind the glass, while Kobayashi's reflection is cast over Keaton's image and John Ottman's stirring score plays. Beautiful, just beautiful. The plot is so thick you could cut it with a Ginsu, and it's delightfully confusing to the point where even after its ending (the best suprise of any movie in recent memory, though Ottman probably spills the beans about 30 seconds too early by teasing us with a quick clarinet) you'll be impatiently rewinding the tape to see it again, and you'll enjoy the dramatic irony even more. The screenplay is stellar, and the acting... well, the acting is uniformally excellent with no weak links sticking out whatsoever. The secret to this movie is to see it once, sleep on it and allow yourself to get even more confused, and then watch it again for answers. No movie has as much replay value this one. On balance, if you like dark drama (this is not quite noir) with a hint of evil conspiracy and lots of twists, served on a plate of suspense, the Usual Suspects will not disappoint. It is the Sgt. Pepper of its genre.