The Usual Suspects

Plot: Customs Agent David Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) forces Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) to tell him when and how there came to be a bloodbath at Long Island harbour. Verbal's story revolves around five criminals (Gabriel Byrne, Stephen Baldwin, Beinico Del Toro, Kevin Pollack, and Spacey) who come together for the heist of a lifetime, guided by the invisible hand of the bogeyman of criminals, Keyser Soze.

Actually, Verbal claims from the beginning that it was all Keyser Soze, and Kujan dares him to prove it.

Whoa, this is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It may come as a shock to those familiar with my period-piece, Shakespeare loving self, but I rather enjoy a good action flick. The problem is that the good ones are few and far between, so I don't watch them as often as would be necessary to demonstrate this preference. So it goes.

Bryan Singer's slick direction pulls taut Christopher McQuarrie's twist-filled script. Spacey's quietly detailed narration provides the perfect backdrop for the explosive film noir that follows. In fact, Spacey won a best supporting actor Oscar for his performance, and McQuarrie one for his original script.

The rest of the cast slow-burn their way to the intensity of the harbour scene. Byrne and Palminteri are among my favourite performers, and they shine in this gritty medium. Pollack, Baldwin, and Del Toro provide some comedic relief, perhaps not as overtly as one would like. However, the simple joy that comes from catching a quick turn of phrase or an off-the-wall comment is found in abundance with these three.

Stylish and smooth, this movie will keep you guessing until the last word is spoken. A quote from the film to help you understand (and a true one for real life): "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world that he didn't exist."