Film of the Week #47 - The Usual Suspects

Karl Hungus

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114814/

Not only one of the standout films of the 90's, but possibly of all time. It's been quite influential, often referenced, launched the career of Brian Singer, put Kevin Spacy and Benicio Del Toro on the map in a big way, and is all round just a great film.

I also got to see the film in a very special way, as myself and a friend got tickets to a screening at the Galway Film Fleadh, where it was introduced by none other than Gabriel Bryne himself, and afterwards he spoke at lenth about his experiences on the film, explaining to the audiences how many of the shots were almost pure accident, such as the line-up scene where everyone was cracking up. This was in the days before DVD, or at least before they got popular, and it was like having a little making of told to you personally by one of the cast members.

Easily one of the absolute best movie experiences of my life, and in the same theater where I'd since seen such films as Oldboy, Spirited Away, and Save The Green Planet.

Anyway, back to the film, I think it's one that's often critisized unfairly, because of it's ending.

A lot of people are of the opinion that because of the twist ending where the audience is made aware that the entire tale was just an invention, that the whole film is just a throw-away based on this revelation. I completely disagree, because the story within a story is an extremely compelling and well told one, and the film's greatness doesn't solely rest on the twist. People would've had to care about the preceding story for the ending to have any effect what so ever.

Now, that's that out of the way!

Discuss.

That_Guy

What a film and what an ending I thought.
I only saw this for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I loved every single minute of it.
My favourite scene is the police line-up at the beginning of the film.
About time that it's film of the week.

quazzy

Even though some "cabbage" from school told me the ending I still thoroughly enjoy this film.

The Bollox

it's about time this film was made FOTW. excellent film. I remember the first time I watched it

all the way through I had a gut feeling Verbal was Keyser Söze, but at the end of the film, on the pier when Verbal was told to stay behind I was very confused. And when the twist came I was blown away (never know before where Scary Movie got that ending from)

and since then I have loved the film and Spacey was put back in the no.1 spot of my favouite actors

Earthhorse

I don't know what it is about this film but I've never really fallen for it. It could be because a lot the best bits were in the trailer but I think it's something else. I dunno, just didn't do it for me, but Spacey is amazing as always.

Retr0gamer

I like this film but don't love it. Take away the ending and you have a very ordinary film with some excellent performances. Still good but wouldn't make it on my favourites list.

MagicMarker

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I like this film but don't love it. Take away the ending and you have a very ordinary film with some excellent performances. Still good but wouldn't make it on my favourites list.

+1... I personally think it's a mediocre movie with a top class ending. In fact anytime i have watched it was simply because i wanted to see the ending again.

CrazyTalk

The ending was ruined for me before I saw it (thank you very much Conan O' Brian), and in turn I wasn't very taken by this film, I think it's pretty overrated.

shanethemofo

I watched this only last night. Brilliant Film. Well up there imho

johnny_ultimate

Standard thriller where the twist was ruined on me by constant references to it in popular culture. Take that away and you are left with something enjoyable, but in the end, forgettable.

BaZmO*

Good movie. Watched it years ago so my memory of it is quite sketchy.

I actually guessed the twist early in the film which is quite strange for me as I'm often quite thick when it comes to plot development in films. I'm generally the annoying person that's always asking, "Who's he?" "Who's she?" Where did he come from?" etc.

I think me copping on so early also ruined the ending for an ex girlfriend who was watching it me at the time.

Tusky

This is one of those movies that everyone else loves....expect me. Never really saw what all the fuss was about. It could be down to the fact that I knew the twist before watching it but even regardless of that, I didn't think it was great.

senordingdong

Hahah...the first time I saw this film, it was shown by our French teacher...in French class, in French with English subtitles.
And I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was such a well told story...like a book you can't pull yourself away from.

ghouldaddy07

One of my favorite films that i can constantly rewatch.

Did not know a thing about it before I saw it and the ending blue me away

wish i could forget the ending so I could enjoy it again same with oldboy.

stereoroid

I like that the ending is still ambiguous. It might not be as closed-and-shut as everyone seems to think it is...

kevmy

Really delighted this got FOTW. Not that many crime films in FOTW and this is certainly better than some already voted in (Leon, Serenity, V for Vendetta).
For me it's the fantastic ending that make it a great film, it's the films utter rewatchability that make it great. There are dozens of little things in the film that could give you hints but first time around you might miss them or write them off as mistakes.

Spacey is brilliant an ambiguous performance leaving it open even though you are almost convinced by about 3 different stories. I particularly love the extremely quick montages that are edited together near the end. Showing shots you've seen before in a completely different light.

Karl Hungus

kevmy wrote: »

Really delighted this got FOTW. Not that many crime films in FOTW and this is certainly better than some already voted in (Leon, Serenity, V for Vendetta).

I'd hardly call those crime films? Especially not Serenity!?

senordingdong

Was V for Vendetta a film of the week?

On that note, while I do think Spacey was amazing in this film, it felt like it was abit regurgitated from Seven.

Jay P

Saw it last night. Frickin brilliant!

Saw that Verbal was the Kaiser guy towards the end though.

Still class though. Loved it.

senordingdong wrote: »

Was V for Vendetta a film of the week?

Yes: Here