Talking about conmen....

Rating: 10/10 (14 June 2010)

The Usual Suspects' main character is a conman. Not coincidentally - and here comes a massive spoiler, so stop reading if you've never seen the film - the movie is itself a con. A pretty big one, actually. In fact, a con which comprises the whole film.
This is not a bad thing. In fact, it is the conceit on which the entire film is, very cleverly, based.
The strength of The Usual Suspects is its script. It is a script which appears to offer us a densely plotted story which turns out to be no story at all - a non-story which, paradoxically, is constructed with exquisite care. The revelation - an absolute last-minute revelation - is devastating in its impact, and perfectly concealed.
The cast are all excellent. In fact, direction, photography, editing, music - the film is superb in all technical aspects.
Ah, but that script...