I’d heard a lot of good things about this film before I watched it so I suspected that it would be unusually good, but I had no idea just how good it would be. The Usual Suspects is, in my opinion, the best crime/mystery film made since movies went color. This film ranks up there with such greats as The Maltese Falcon and The Big Sleep. The acting is absolutely excellent, the story is complex, but fascinating and the mystery itself is perfect. Five professional criminals are rousted by the police after a truck hijacking and placed together in a cell and line up. Feeling, or at least claiming to feel, unjustly persecuted the five crooks team up to pull a robbery especially designed to embarrass the police. But, are they in control of their own destiny? Or are they being manipulated by one of their own, the police or a mysterious criminal mastermind who may not even exist?
I have no complaints at all about The Usual Suspects and only two small caveats. As with most modern crime dramas the language is fairly raw in places. While realistic given the characters involved if the regular use of four letter words offends you then this film may not be for you. Second, as I mentioned before The Usual Suspects is fairly complex and can only be enjoyed if you’re in the mood for a film that requires close attention. But it is well worth the effort. I strongly recommend this film so round up the usual suspects of friends who enjoy good crime/mystery films and settle back for the ride.
And remember cigarettes are bad for your health.
Average Grade: A++
