Spacey steals the show

Rating: 9/10 (27 October 2004)

This seemingly ordinary movie, turns out to be one which grips the viewer and keeps hold of him throughout the movie. Hats off to Kevin Spacey who,i always respected a talented actor, manages to don the hat of a cowardly cripple down to the T. I do not want to spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it as yet, so i will restrain myself to making comments about the way the movie was made.
Bryan Singer's direction is masterful...he unravels the plot beautifully and keeps the viewers guessing. The cast seem to be perfect for each other and enact their respective quirks realistically. Though some people may find that the movie tends to drag along at times..i thoroughly enjoyed it and was eagerly awaiting the next twist in the plot.
The backbone of the story lies with the aura of fear created around a
"merciless" mobster who seems to make even the strongest men weak-kneed at the mere mention of his name.The narrative by Spacey on the exploits of this crime lord was the high point of the movie for me. It comes as no surprise that Spacey is so easily able to morph into any role given to him...his film credits speak for themselves.He clearly is the shining star in the movie.
Gabriel Byrne as the disgruntled former cop is very convincing and as expected is first on the list of suspects created by the police. Kevin Pollak as the demolitions expert and the only one who seems to have a grip on reality manages to keep the motley team under control most of the time..but Byrne is their unacknowledged leader.. And then there's Benicio Del Toro, who even though has a small role, makes an impact as the stuttering con and impulsive risk taker.
So if you want to watch a "real" suspense driven thriller of a movie, which will have you guessing right till the end...i would advise this one.
It really deserves it's place in the Top 250..