1996 BAFTA Best Original Screen Play
With an awesome cast including Spacey, Postlethwaite and del Toro, this brilliant crime drama centres on a mystical character whose reality and identity are unveiled beautifully in the final scene. It is 20 years old and I have seen it before but well worth rewatching after such a long time. The 18 certificate is not a good reflection, there are some violent scenes but nothing that will shock most 15 year olds.
This enigmatic heist thriller remains a captivating film and deserved the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Now a massive cult favourite it's a film riddled with interesting clues that reveal themselves on each viewing. It has a sophisticated story structure and puts an original spin on the heist genre. The editing, direction and brilliant ensemble cast make it a modern classic of American crime cinema. Five criminals are put in a police line up accused of an armoured car robbery but there presence together is unusual and soon they form together to commit a jewellery heist targeting corrupt NYPD cops. As they become more successful they are approached by a lawyer to take part in a high stakes crime on behalf of a legendary criminal named Keyser Soze, who some believe doesn't really exist. With Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Pollack, Benicio Del Toro and Pete Postlethwaite heading up the cast and with the mystery of who is actually pulling the strings running through the entire plot this is a film that pulls you in and results in some great discussions afterwards as everyone has their own theories. The fact that this film fails to yield to a completely transparent ending is what maintains its eternal charm. Whatever the established view you can still ask is there is something to be found in the story here to confound that view? It's what makes this so appealing. So whether you are content you've worked it out or are still open to a different reading The Usual Suspects is a film that enthrals and it's most definitely a film that should be on your list if you've never seen it.