THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995)

The crime genre has been an indomitable force in cinema since its inception, yet it experienced a remarkable renaissance in the 1990s. The decade prior relegated crime dramas to a secondary role as bombastic blockbusters began to dominate mainstream cinema. However, after Quentin Tarantino eschewed traditional conventions with his seminal classic Reservoir Dogs (1992), there was an increased interest in making intelligent alternatives to the bombastic action flicks of the previous decade. Filmmakers sought to explore the complexities of criminal minds and law enforcement with stylistic innovation. Subversive works like Paul Verhoeven’s Basic Instinct (1992) and Brian De Palma’s Carlito’s Way (1993) brought sophistication and artistry to what might have once been relegated to midnight drive-ins.

It’s within this artistic resurgence that Bryan Singer’s sophomore effort emerged as a tour de force. Captivating audiences with its intricate narrative, morally ambiguous characters, and unforgettable ending, The Usual Suspectsepitomised the era’s appetite for crime stories that demanded intellectual engagement. What was initially a modest box-office performer has since transcended its indie origins and cemented itself as a touchstone of contemporary crime cinema.

Following a truck hijacking in New York, Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne), Michael McManus (Stephen Baldwin), Fred Fenster (Benicio del Toro), Todd Hockney (Kevin Pollack), and Verbal (Kevin Spacey) find themselves inexplicably arrested for the crime they did not commit. Believing the police were unfairly harassing them, the five criminals form an unlikely alliance and decide to exact revenge on the NYPD. Orchestrated by Keaton, the newly assembled group intercepts a jewel smuggler protected by corrupt officers, escaping with millions in emeralds. Following the audacious heist, the group retreats to Los Angeles. However, their refuge is short-lived when the gang comes into contact with a mysterious character named Kobayashi (Pete Postlethwaite). The unnervingly composed lawyer reveals that each member of the group has wronged the criminal Keyser Söze, an omnipotent figure with limitless power and unfathomable influence. Through Kobayashi, the group learns they are beholden to the mysterious crime lord and must undertake a mission to settle the debt. The payback job involves raiding a cargo ship and destroying $91M worth of cocaine before it changes hands. As the layers of deception unravel, the gang must confront the haunting question: who is Keyser Söze?

The success of The Usual Suspects owes much to its ensemble, but it is Kevin Spacey’s (American Beauty) turn as Verbal that’s most astonishing. The actor delivers a carefully modulated performance that oscillates seamlessly between feeble vulnerability and malevolent cunning. He manipulates his relatively tall physique and broad-shouldered frame into a diminished figure that exudes an air of nervous fragility. This physical transformation renders Verbal into a character who is underestimated not only by his criminal counterparts but also by the audience. However, his unparalleled skill at embodying fragility makes the character’s ultimate revelation all the more shocking. As an actor known for being unconventional and unpredictable, Spacey reportedly filed down the soles of his shoes to perfect Verbal’s limp and glued his fingers together to mimic the limitations of cerebral palsy. These physical constraints heightened the authenticity of his performance, adding layers to his intricate façade. It’s a truly magnificent performance that cemented his reputation as a remarkable performer and earned him the role as the chilling John Doe in David Fincher’s Se7en (1995).

Elsewhere, Gabriel Byrne (Hereditary) delivers a quietly magnetic performance as an antihero with tragic undertones. Dean Keaton is a former corrupt police officer attempting to escape his sordid past and rebuild his life with the woman he loves. However, when his past will not leave him alone, he finds himself orchestrating a heist with his five counterparts. The actor crafts a character steeped in moral ambiguity and internal conflict as he teeters on the precipice of reinvention, but remains shackled to his past. It is a dichotomy Byrne navigates with exquisite subtlety and anchors the labyrinthine narrative with a brooding gravitas. In the hands of a less skilled talent, Keaton could easily have devolved into a clichéd emblem of neo-noir archetypes. Yet, he elevates the role through his remarkable restraint, eschewing melodrama in favour of nuanced tension. Rather than chewing the scenery, he allows unspoken emotions do much of the work by imbuing his character with a restrained intensity. His piercing gaze that spoke so eloquently five years earlier in Joel Coen’s Miller’s Crossing (1990), returns here as a visual motif of a man perpetually at odds with himself.

The entire cast represents one of those rare instances of lightning in a bottle. Each actor imbues their character with a distinct persona, crafting a kaleidoscope of personalities that interact with an electric spontaneity. Stephen Baldwin (Born on the Fourth of July) fully embodies the volatile McManus, an impulsive professional thief whose bite matches his bold bravado. Whereas Kevin Pollak (Casino) delivers a dryly sardonic performance as Hockney, wielding his razor-sharp wit and wisecracking comedic sensibilities with a precision that adds a layer of biting humour to the proceedings. Yet, it’s Benicio del Toro (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) who deserves particular praise for his idiosyncratic portrayal of Fenster. His reckless attitude, near-incomprehensible speech pattern, and overall charisma elevates what might have been a generic archetype into something uniquely eccentric. The hilarious interplay between the titular suspects is truly memorable, especially during the iconic line-up scene. Famously cobbled together from outtakes and improvisations, this sequence captures the unpredictable chemistry of the ensemble.

Actors are often only as good as the material allows them to be and the ensemble is given an undeniably clever screenplay penned by Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible—Fallout). Admittedly, uninitiated viewers encountering The Usual Suspects for the first time may question whether its hallowed status as a perennial fixture of countless Best-Of lists is fully deserved. In many ways, McQuarrie’s inexperience shows as he ambitiously attempts to cram an entire catalogue of oddball characters and improbable anecdotes from his peripatetic young adulthood into an impossibly dense narrative. The dialogue in particular is loaded with sardonic quips and vulgarities. Like an amalgamation of Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs), Shane Black (The Nice Guys), and David Mamet (The Untouchables) it drips with a peculiar brand of self-satisfaction that pervaded early-’90s independent cinema. When the titular suspects are gathered for the police line-up, each character delivers a sneeringly sharp one-liner to the arresting officers. “Think you brought enough guys?” Hockney quips as he tosses an oily rag directly at the camera. The characters often feel more like archetypes than individuals, embodying a very specific Gen X conception of cool. They are all slightly undifferentiated, strutting through the story with a wry smirk and a cigarette dangling precariously from their lips.

It’s not until the final act that The Usual Suspects reveals precisely why it has cemented itself as a cornerstone of pop culture and is heralded as one of the most sophisticated crime dramas from the ’90s. McQuarrie’s screenplay is a skein of deceptions and elaborate fabrications that constantly takes advantage of the audience’s gullibility before blindsiding them with a huge reveal. Once the fabled question “who is Keyser Söze?” begins to loom over the narrative, the interplay between revelation and obfuscation grows increasingly intricate. Characters are introduced with purpose, relationships are tangled with deliberate complexity, and details are revealed in a way that challenges the audience’s perception of truth. As Agent Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) continues to interrogate the Verbal, the con man manipulates an elaborate story using innocuous objects scattered around Rabin’s office about how the titular suspects were forced to a certain death onboard a ship in the Los Angeles harbour. Everything is a product of Verbal’s manipulative language and Kujan’s overactive imagination completes the illusion. The moment the iconic coffee mug drops, shattering along with the audience’s understanding of the narrative, the true genius of McQuarrie’s penmanship becomes clear. The revelation of Keyser Söze’s identity compels viewers to mentally reconstruct the story and piece together the fractured narrative for clues that were hiding in plain sight.

Director Bryan Singer (X-Men) also deserves praise for his meticulous orchestration of a labyrinthine narrative that is as intoxicating as it is deceptive. After having gained some rather discreet experience with his directorial debut Public Access (1993), The Usual Suspects established himself as a filmmaker on everyone’s lips. With a precision rarely replicated in the remainder of his filmography, he demonstrates an acute understanding of pacing, atmosphere, and the art of misdirection. Drawing inspiration from Tarantino’s non-linear storytelling and the unreliable perspective of Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1950), he orchestrates a cinematic sleight of hand that keeps the audience perpetually unbalanced throughout the 106-minute runtime. Rendering such convoluted material coherent is a formidable task even for the most seasoned directors and the result could have proved to be extremely unsatisfying. Yet, Singer ensures that every fragment of the story serves a purpose and every twist reverberates with devastating impact.

Unfortunately, discussing The Usual Suspects through a contemporary lens is difficult without acknowledging the baggage it now carries. Singer was fired from the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) after an increasing number of lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct tarnished the director’s name. Meanwhile, allegations of sexual harassment and assault have since been brought forward against Spacey. Nevertheless, it arguably changed the storytelling landscape and further galvanised what Tarantino had previously accomplished with Reservoir Dogs, demonstrating how an intelligent screenplay can surpass any big-budget production. With a modest budget of $6M, it outperformed Kevin Costner’s Waterworld (1995) and gained accolades including an Academy Award for McQuarrie’s ‘Original Screenplay’ and ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Spacey’s performance.

Verbal reminds audiences that “the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing us he didn’t exist”. Witnessing the devil perform his great disappearing act results in one of the best crime dramas of the ’90s. The Usual Suspects is a masterclass in narrative misdirection and a bold reshaping of genre conventions that remain enigmatic and captivating almost three decades since its release. Christopher McQuarrie’s labyrinthine screenplay is deliberately ambiguous and will reward viewers willing to get lost in it. With its atmospheric tension and ensemble cast delivering career-defining performances, its audacious climax not only upends expectations but cements The Usual Suspects as a touchstone of contemporary cinema.

USA • GERMANY | 1995 | 106 MINUTES | 2.39:1 | COLOUR | ENGLISH • HUNGARIAN • SPANISH • FRENCH

Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Special Features:

Showcasing an immaculate 2160p Ultra HD transfer, The Usual Suspects has received a marvellous 4K restoration courtesy of Arrow Video. Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, the image was sourced from the original 35mm camera negative and supervised by cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel (Drive).

The transfer handles Singer’s style and flair with veritable panache, but the Dolby Vision HDR intensifies the already wonderful palette and handles the colour scheme incredibly. Nighttime escapades around the L.A. harbour look phenomenal, and the black levels are almost impenetrable. Whereas daytime rendezvous are equally as stunning, showcasing vivid primaries without becoming overblown. Nuanced colours that require natural tones such as facial complexions are accurately reproduced, and the film grain has been beautifully rendered to retain a filmic veneer.

The image is deceptively sharp and contains an excellent amount of depth with rendering that draws out plenty of delineation. Astute viewers paying close attention to the production design and background pieces can now fully appreciate the discernible clues scattered around Agent Kujan’s office. Whereas tight compositions reveal a perceptible level of detail and reveal the finest facial blemishes. Unfortunately, Kino Lorber Studio Classics’ US release attracted some negative reviews from several pockets of the internet. The consensus was that the colour restoration destabilised the blues and essentially replaced them with cyan tones in numerous areas. Thankfully, there are no issues to report here, and hopefully, viewers will find Arrow Video’s release a resounding upgrade over anything they have previously encountered. The presentation is the best it has ever looked, and this release is an incredible alternative for UK collectors.

The 4K release of The Usual Suspects features two audio tracks with optional English subtitles. Arrow provides an immersive English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio and English LPCM 2.0 stereo.

Although this release doesn’t enjoy a next-gen Dolby Atmos upgrade, the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio boasts excellent fidelity and dynamism. The dialogue is rendered clearly and dispersed primarily at the front, allowing the surrounding channels to open up the sound field. Occasional outbursts of violence and supporting sound effects create an immersive atmosphere. Several blistering gunshots are amplified for sonic impact and reverberate nicely through the side and rear channels. Meanwhile, sequences featuring large groups of characters also engage the side and rear channels effectively. The excellent fidelity and a surprising amount of dynamic to the midrange complement John Ottman’s (The Cable Guy) exquisite score. The intense combination of strings and keys surges through the speakers with clarity. Although the absence of Dolby Atmos feels like a missed opportunity, Arrow’s release is a massive upgrade and a welcomed improvement over its predecessor.

Although this release doesn’t enjoy a Dolby Atmos upgrade, the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio boasts excellent fidelity and dynamism. The dialogue is rendered clearly and dispersed primarily at the front, allowing the surrounding channels to open up the sound field. Occasional outbursts of violence and supporting sound effects create an immersive atmosphere. Several blistering gunshots are amplified for sonic impact and reverberate nicely through the side and rear channels. Meanwhile, sequences featuring large groups of characters also engage the side and rear channels effectively. The excellent fidelity and a surprising amount of dynamic to the midrange complement John Ottman’s (The Cable Guy) exquisite score. The intense combination of strings and keys surges through the speakers with clarity. Although the absence of Dolby Atmos feels like a missed opportunity, Arrows release is a massive upgrade and a welcomed improvement over its predecessor.

• 4K restoration from the original negative approved by cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel.
• 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible).
• Original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0.
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
• Audio commentary with director Bryan Singer and writer Christopher McQuarrie.
• Audio commentary with editor and composer John Ottman.
• The Devil in the Details, an archival interview with Newton Thomas Sigel.
• Archival interview with John Ottman.
• Round Up: Deposing the Usual Suspects.
• Keyser Söze (Lie or Legend?).
• Heisting Cannes with The Usual Suspects.
• Introducing The Usual Suspects.
• Deleted scenes with introduction by John Ottman.
• Gag reel and Outake Interviews.
• International trailer and U.S. trailer.
• TV Spots.

Cast & Crew

director: Bryan Singer.
writer: Christopher McQuarrie.
starring: Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak & Chazz Palminteri.