'Who is Keyser Soze?’. It took me a while to understand this film, but when I did, I realized what a beautifully executed con it is. It takes a while to grow on you, but in the end you are left admiring the quality of deception.
'The Usual Suspects' is seen through the eyes of 'Verbal' Kint, a physically challenged man who is only one of two survivors of a blast on a boat that was supposedly laden with drugs. He receives immunity from the prosecutors in exchange for his version of the story behind the blast and death of the people on board. The other survivor, badly burnt can only speak Hungarian and just mentions one name; Keyser Soze. The plot revolves around Kint's story and the enigma called Keyser Soze.
This film won the best original screenplay Oscar. On one hand you would admire the way the suspense and the mystery is built up, but on the other hand, struggle to understand it. It is as though one is traveling through a maze filled with clues on how to find the treasure at the center of it. But, once you get the pulse of the movie, you are hooked and it leaves you guessing right up to the very end.
Of the ensemble cast, Gabriel Byrne stands out as the reluctant re-entrant into the world of crime. Stephen Baldwin in a rare A-grade movie appearance displays raw intensity. Chazz Palminteri as the cynical and doubtful investigator who is trying to uncover the substance of Kint's story is all fire and brimstone and balances aggression with charm and wit. Kevin Spacey as Kint, in his Oscar winning role sets the stage with an acting style that he would repeat in other starring roles. The machine like dialogue delivery with a deadpan expression has come to be associated with any role that he plays today.
Some would criticize 'The Usual Suspects' as being too intelligent for the audience. But, I would say that it is a thought provoking film that never gives the viewer a whiff of where the climax is heading. So what if you rack your brains to figure out what hit you. It is a classic whodunit.
