A great film in all ways

Rating: 10/10 (31 August 2005)

It's so pleasing to know that great films are still being made, if even on an far too infrequent basis. The Usual Suspects please on so many levels its hard to put into words. Bryan Singer comes out of nowhere to direct only his SECOND feature film and hits a home run. While he's now quite famous from his work on the X-Men films, what he did with the Usual Suspects is far beyond any expectations that could have been placed on him. Christopher McQuarrie (who also worked with Singer on his first film) also comes out of nowhere to write a script so well thought out and put together its sad to think he's only turned out an indie and Way of the Gun since. And lastly, the cast are terrific. Top to bottom (even Baldwin) are great. Benicio Del Toro steals every scene he is in with his awkward, mumbling way of talking. And this really marked the start of Kevin Spacey's ascent into A list stardom in Hollywood. In addition to his standout performance in this film, he quickly followed it with parts in Seven, A Time to Kill and LA Confidential. If you're looking for one of the great films of the 90s, you've found it.