The Usual Suspects

Directed by Bryan Singer, The Usual Suspects follows a group of criminals (Gabriel Byrne’s Keaton, Kevin Spacey’s Verbal, Stephen Baldwin’s McManus, Kevin Pollak’s Hockney, and Benicio del Toro’s Fenster) as they’re recruited for a job by a mysterious figure known as Keyser Söze. Filmmaker Singer delivers a perpetually engrossing endeavor that benefits from its myriad of above-average, inherently spellbinding attributes, as the movie boasts an intensely cinematic feel that’s heightened by Newton Thomas Sigel’s lush cinematography, John Ottman’s foreboding score, and a uniformly enthralling roster of performances – with, in terms of the latter, the picture’s five stars, along with Chazz Palminteri (cast as a dogged U.S. Customs agent), turning in riveting work that elevates the proceedings on a recurring basis. It’s clear, however, that The Usual Suspects‘ place as a singular thriller is cemented by its twisty, surprising narrative, as Singer and scripter Christopher McQuarrie have packed the picture with unexpected plot developments and, of course, a conclusion that’s nothing short of jaw-dropping in its audacity – with the end result a superb piece of work that more than lives up to its reputation as a first-class piece of work.

**** out of ****