The Usual Suspects (1995)
- Bryan Singer originally wanted a completely different ending for the film, but test audiences preferred the one we see today.
- Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a hidden easter egg referencing Bryan Singer's previous film in the background of the opening scene.
- The original script for The Usual Suspects was written over a decade before production finally began in 1995.
The Usual Suspects is a 1995 American neo-noir mystery thriller directed by Bryan Singer, celebrated for one of cinema's most famous twist endings. The film is structured as a police interrogation in which the seemingly meek, disabled con artist Roger "Verbal" Kint, played by Kevin Spacey, recounts to customs agent Dave Kujan, played by Chazz Palminteri, how he and four other criminals were brought together by the mysterious, legendary crime lord Keyser SΓΆze for a series of increasingly dangerous jobs that culminated in a massacre on a ship in San Pedro harbor that left 27 people dead. The narrative unfolds through Verbal's account, which may or may not be reliable, as the audience and Agent Kujan attempt to determine the identity of Keyser SΓΆze β a figure so feared that criminals invoke his name with reverence and terror.
Kevin Spacey won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance, which required him to maintain a persona of nervous vulnerability throughout while concealing the character's true nature. Christopher McQuarrie's screenplay won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for its intricate, puzzle-box construction that rewarded multiple viewings. The film's final revelation β communicated through a sequence in which the camera pans across a cluttered bulletin board β has been endlessly discussed, analyzed, and parodied.
The Usual Suspects earned $23 million on a $6 million budget and has become one of the most frequently referenced films in discussions of narrative unreliability and cinematic misdirection.
