Ingenious & Expertly Acted

Rating: Null/10 (13 November 2001)

Who is Keyser Soze?
Good question, and the answer will make your jaw fall flat on the floor.
The movie follows the testimony of Verbal Kint, the sole survivor of a deadly raid on a ship that was supposed to house $90 million worth of dope. McManus (Stephen Baldwin), Keaton (Gabriel Byrne), Fenster (Benicio Del Toro), Hockney (Kevin Pollak), and Kint himself were hired to retrieve the dope for "Keyser Soze." But who is he?
The Usual Suspects is one of the craftiest and most ingenious thrillers of the 1990's, or any decade. Christopher McQuarrie's screenplay was more than deserving of its Academy Award nomination. The same goes for Spacey's performance as Verbal Kint.
Plenty of crime/thrillers have come down the pike over the years, but what distinguishes The Usual Suspects is how the story is woven together. The story jumps back and forth in time quite often, but never once was I confused. It is ingenious the way it all comes together at the end.
And that ending.....oh boy. I think most regular moviegoers are familiar with the now legendary ending The Usual Suspects. Simply put, it has to be seen to be believed. Period.
An ingenious, very thought-provoking film. Highly recommended.
A+