Magnificent film that deserves to be re-watched over and over

Rating: 10/10 (12 June 2017)

As an avid cinephile, who watches a lot of films to help me to be distracted from the pressures of everyday life, old and new and of all genres (have never had a bias against any genre and never love older films and dismiss new films, or vice versa), 'The Usual Suspects' was one of the finest films personally seen in a while.
Other films to have that effect on me (and garnered 10/10 ratings, a rare rating for me these days) are 'LA Confidential', 'Amores Perros', Orson Welles' version of 'The Trial', 'City of God' and 'The Song of Bernadette', though some films came close as well as re-watches of favourites like 'Se7en', 'Much Ado About Nothing' (1993) and 'The Remains of the Day'.
Simply put, 'The Usual Suspects' is a magnificent film all round that deserves to be re-watched over and over again, one of the few films seen recently to not find any fault with it. Fully deserving of its reputation as one of the best modern, and perhaps overall, films ever made. Not everybody is going to disagree and that is fine.
'The Usual Suspects' is slickly and audaciously made, filmed with a lot of style and is atmospherically directed. It is also hauntingly scored. It is intricately and intelligently written by Christopher McQuarrie, some of the best screen-writing he ever did. It is beautifully and deftly directed by Bryan Singer. If remembered correctly, neither McQuarrie or Singer were well known at the time and it was 'The Usual Suspects' that put them on the map.
Film is famous for the iconic line-up scene, the noticeboard that haunts everybody forever and its killer twist, one for the ages and not one to forget in the long one. Twists have wildly varied in film, there are some ingenious ones but also some naff ones, 'The Usual Suspects' is one of the ingenious ones. 'The Usual Suspects' as said before doesn't just have its twist going for it. The flashback-packed story is similarly intricate and never feels muddled or convoluted.
It has some of the finest ensemble acting there has ever been. This is especially true for a mesmerising Kevin Spacey in one of the most deserved Oscar Wins that year. Spacey is just one of the all round brilliant performances. Pete Postelthwaite, an always dependable actor who is still very much missed, is suitably mysterious, and Dan Hedaya and Chazz Palminteri make their mark as the confused cops. Steven Baldwin doesn't have a particularly challenging role but has never been better, Gabriel Byrne is also solid.
Overall, magnificent film in every sense. Recommended with no hesitation. 10/10 Bethany Cox