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The Usual Suspects (1995)
Rating: 7 1/2
Dir: Bryan Singer
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Main Players: Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey, Pete Postlethwaite, Steven Baldwin, Chazz Palminteri, Kevin Pollak, Benicio Del Toro, Suzi Amis, Giancarlo Esposito, Dan Hedaya, Paul Bartel.
Comment: Regular readers will notice my inclusion of nearly all the main characters. I only do this because of the wonderful performances they give in this complex and riveting film. What could have been a rather pedestrian who-is-the-bad-guy story is turned into a tour de force of flashbacks, punctuated by graphic violence - which is actually very appropriate - and some of the best music ever.
Make no mistakes about this movie: It is exceptionally written, and demands your undivided attention. The honour for that goes to Christopher McQuarrie. We, the viewer, are prodded along throughout the movie thinking we can "get" (understand) the movie, convoluted though it seems, and we anticipate the cliched climax. But we are not let off the hook so easily. We follow the story, all the time thinking we know, or can guess, who is this Keyser Soze. When "he" is revealed at last, we feel satisfied that we never did guess who "he" really was. My first reaction was to watch the whole movie again. And again.
Only on the third viewing did I finally get to put all the elements together and marvel at the artistry of Singer and McQuarrie.
This is perhaps one of the few movies that I've watched more than 10 times. It's just so good. You can actually see any part of it again (after you've understood the whole story) and you'll be pleasantly surprised at how you'll appreciate the story now that you've known the ending and see the story again, but from a different perspective.
Repeated viewings also produce the realization that this is a highly absorbing movie. I've given up trying to watch this movie just for a scene or a few lines of dialogue because I know that I'll stay for the whole show.
Conclusion: Give it a chance. A sophisticated movie. But too bloody and definitely not for kids.