Homework: The Usual Suspects (1995)

[nickperkins 52]

Available for digital rental, or On Demand if you subscribe to Starz

[JakeWeston 5]

I'm willing to revisit this movie, but I was astounded how bad I actually thought it was when I first saw it a few years ago. "THIS is the movie people have been going crazy about?" I thought. But anyway, I'll try to watch it again and develop a more updated opinion, but where I stand now I will be very disappointed if this makes it into the canon. It's up there with AMERICAN BEAUTY as overrated '90s flicks.

[Stickman Cinema 28]

YES!!! I absolutely adore this movie. It's definitely one I enjoy revisiting and I can't wait to hear this episode! Though I should probably taper my enthusiasm. If Devin or Amy (or both) end up disliking it, I'm not sure my heart could take the hit. **bracing myself**

[bri-witched 60]

The last time I saw this was roughly 9 years ago, so I'm interested in revisiting it. I remember thinking it was fine at the time, but my opinion on Bryan Singer as a director has soured tremendously over the past few years so I don't know how I'll feel about it now.

[joel_rosenbaum 1269]

I'm willing to revisit this movie, but I was astounded how bad I actually thought it was when I first saw it a few years ago. "THIS is the movie people have been going crazy about?" I thought. But anyway, I'll try to watch it again and develop a more updated opinion, but where I stand now I will be very disappointed if this makes it into the canon. It's up there with AMERICAN BEAUTY as overrated '90s flicks.

I rewatched this movie recently and was deeply disappointed. I don't know if that's my tastes changing or what, but I'll give it *another* try.

[groovy-guy 24]

ooooh .... I look forward to this film getting the grilling it deserves ... I think 'The Usual Suspects' is a terrible film that opened the doors to some of the worst filmmaking ever

 

do the right thing Devin & Amy

[Threshold 93]

I can sense the episode will be filled with a similar feeling of the American Beauty.

But I adore The Usual Suspects- it is clearly built backwards from the twist, but I still think it's a real solid thriller.

[Susan* 135]

I hated the movie when it came out. I saw it with a group of movie-fan friends and they loved it. I was on my high horse for years, talking about how much I hated it and why. And I love caper movies! It ticked all the boxes of things I love in movies. It made me furious. I eventually made peace with the movie a few years ago.

 

But I still can't believe it won an Oscar for the screenplay.

 

I can't wait for this one.

[NoumenonPhenomenon 2]

Can't wait to vote no for this one.

[Llewellyn_Wells 47]

I watched this in college and hated it. Confession time: I never wanted to revisit it because this is one of the few times I like being a contrarian. And I'm sure I'd view it now not being 19 in a whole different way, and I like telling my best friend that I hated his favorite movie

 

I suppose I'll do my homework...

[Cronopio 127]

I feel this is a film that diminishes with repeat viewings. I'll watch it with my 12 year old and let him decide.

[j_scanlon 59]

Second movie in a row where I'm going in a no. I found it an utterly plain and average movie defined by a twist I'm not even sure was built up to

[Marsellus_H 118]

I'm still split. On the one hand, I enjoy some of the character dynamics and performances. On the other hand, it goes on for waaaaaaaay too long for the story it's trying to tell. I'm so-so on that twist.

[HoldenMartinson 221]

This is a movie I watched a hundred times growing up. The Usual Suspects always felt exciting and edgy, even if there some things that didn't quite make sense. This is a film that I think holds up, because the twist ends up throwing out the entire film anyway. So, trying to see how that twist applies to the film before it is kinda useless. I like that kind of subversion. As for the film--is it any good? I have fond memories of it, but I'll need to revisit it. This kinda feels like one of those beloved films that's cool to shit on, but I'll keep an open mind either way.

[JohnMato 1]

Haven't seen this in a while, but I remember the first time I watched it, I could see the twist from miles and miles away, which kinda diminished the whole movie for me.

[gene_shallot 79]

Available for digital rental, or On Demand if you subscribe to Starz

Also available in teenage me's dvd shelf, next to a collection of terrible music and discarded hot pocket wrappers.

[Marsellus_H 118]

Hey, I just revisited it. Good news: It is actually pretty tightly plotted and constructed, and way shorter than I remembered. The bad news: Bryan Singer doesn't know where to place that fucking camera. He makes the most boring and clichéed choices, which ads extremely to the predictability of the story. To me, the film works despite and not because of his directorial work.

[HoldenMartinson 221]

Hey, I just revisited it. Good news: It is actually pretty tightly plotted and constructed, and way shorter than I remembered. The bad news: Bryan Singer doesn't know where to place that fucking camera. He makes the most boring and clichéed choices, which ads extremely to the predictability of the story. To me, the film works despite and not because of his directorial work.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way, because that's something I struggled with for years. The look just wasn't right. Some of the cuts are really distracting, too. There's the scene in the line-up, where they're laughing. The next shot is a wide shot, but they're all stone-faced. It's really irritating, because they chose that first shot to establish the chemistry of the cast--which only happened because Benicio del Toro kept farting--which they undermine by not getting another shot of them having a good time. THEY WERE RIGHT FUCKING THERE. It wouldn't have been a hassle. This is from a film I adore, but that frustrates me, because it's not as good as it could be.

[NathanGordon 1096]

I'm curious if any of the people in this thread that disliked it knew the reveal before watching?

 

I only ask because this is definitely a film with just that one trick. I feel like the twist in Usual Suspects is especially cheap because it does not reward repeat viewings -- knowing the plot is essentially made up by one character doesn't add any meaningful layers or enrich the story in any way. Unlike, say, Memento or The Sixth Sense or Les Diabolique, which also hinge on late reveals, but the film is further colored by this information and can be enjoyed again as the viewer is now in on the secret. The Usual Suspects is an overly convoluted setup with a punchline that feels more like a prank, and isn't interested beyond that "gotcha!" moment.

 

Pete Posthelwaite's character, makeup, and accent are stunningly awful, even if it's supposed to be a person Verbal made up. Terrible choice.

[groovy-guy 24]

I'm curious if any of the people in this thread that disliked it knew the reveal before watching?

 

I only ask because this is definitely a film with just that one trick. I feel like the twist in Usual Suspects is especially cheap because it does not reward repeat viewings -- knowing the plot is essentially made up by one character doesn't add any meaningful layers or enrich the story in any way. Unlike, say, Memento or The Sixth Sense or Les Diabolique, which also hinge on late reveals, but the film is further colored by this information and can be enjoyed again as the viewer is now in on the secret. The Usual Suspects is an overly convoluted setup with a punchline that feels more like a prank, and isn't interested beyond that "gotcha!" moment.

 

Pete Posthelwaite's character, makeup, and accent are stunningly awful, even if it's supposed to be a person Verbal made up. Terrible choice.

I didn't know the twist the first time I saw it, but I did know there was a twist - unsurprisingly the film was recc'd to me on that grounds alone. "the twist man, it'll blow your miiiiiiiiiind" I recall at the time being absolutely bored with the film and thinking I'd already figured the twist out in its last act only to be totally caught off guard with the ending.

 

I'll admit there was a short period of some kinda masochistic admiration for the filmmakers' willingness to so blatantly FUCK their audience like that, I'd been played by the duke and king. but the thing is, yeah, the twist ending is cheap, to my mind it doesn't play off what came before any more than "it was all a dream" endings do. it sets up one film with its own tensions and narrative and cuts it short for another- BUT I can look past cheap tiwst if it caps off a great film, your example Les Diaboliques is perfect. I don't like the ending to that film, but it is a masterpiece of suspense, and even knowing the twist you can get into the characters' head just as easily and understand the film's narrative tensions and enjoy the ride. well written drama never wears thin, watch Star Wars a hundred times and you will (I will, anyway) still be worrying that Luke doesn't make the trench run.

 

The Usual Suspects' problems is that sans-twist it isn't good anything. The narrative is so goofy and the characters are so empty it is impossible (for me) to care about anything that's going on as you watch the film flip thru dry police procedural, Michael Mann lite, and The Most Dangerous Game before coming to the agonizing finale of confused dudes running around a boat while you wait to be told who the guy in the shadows is, BLEGH