Movie #275 The Ususal Suspects *1995*

I feel like this one is a ringer.  I noticed a few weeks ago that there were only a few years between 1939 and present day that a movie was made and I haven't reviewed.  Oddly enough one of those years was 1995.  I then looked at my 1001 Movies to See Before You Die book and The Usual Suspects was one of the films in that year.  I had of course seen The Usual Suspect, and I consider it one of my top 100 movies.  Sooooo the other night I decided to pop it in the ole Bluray player.

Right off the bat I love it that the opening title card says "The Brian Singer Film".  I think he knew that if this movie wasn't a hit he would never work in Hollywood again.  Fortunately for us that was not the case.  The Usual Suspects is a crime thriller with a twist ending.  That is not really a fair statement.  It actually has several twists at the end.

Another thing that I love about this movie is that even now that I know the ending, I am still always a little surprised by it.  That is the sign of a great movie.  One thing that I noticed this time through is how bold the lighting choices are in the film.  There is a ton of lighting going on and at direct angles.

Singer was able to pull some great performances out of his cast.  People like Stephen Baldwin and Kevin Pollack hold their own against heavyweights like Gabriel Bryne and Kevin Spacey.  I epically love Pete Postlethwaite as the lawyer, Kobayashi.

I feel like I am stacking the deck a little towards the end of my 1 year.  Swingers and now The Usual Suspects.  Back to back 5 star movies.  I haven't done that in a while.  This movie is endlessly quotable. 

I enjoy Singer's playfulness with the camera in this movie.  That is not to say that the film doesn't look professional, because it certainly does.  What I am saying is that he repeats shots and camera movements to evoke earlier scenes.  This is a very skill trick in a film with a non liner narrative.  It help the viewer to place themselves in the time line without spelling it out.

This is a master class in film making.  In case you have never seen it (and by now if you haven't seen it I am sure you are not reading this film nerds blog) I won't spoil it for you.  But I will say that the twist(s) at the end shouldn't come as a surprise.  There are clues all along the way.  And not just it the way that is explained at the end of the film.  There are visual and lighting and audible clues throughout the entire film.  The brilliance of this film is that it is all there for you to figure out.  You are just not smart enough to.  Neither was I and love the film for exposing me, and at finally a film that trusts me and isn't condescending or spoon feeding me exposition. 

I give The Usual Suspects ★★★★★.