By Weston Kelly and Blake Kim
*spoilers ahead*
Cunningly narrates Verbal, “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” This American Crime Thriller, directed by Bryan Singer, left us appalled as a character who seemed innocent proved himself as a master manipulator. Despite its rather slow beginning, The Usual Suspects truly earned it’s countless awards and recognition.
This masterpiece begins “one day earlier,” when a massive explosion obliterates a ship supposedly filled with drugs. These goods belonged to Keyser Söze, otherwise known as the devil. The next day, a police officer visits the scene and discovers only two survivors remain—one of which was named Verbal, a disabled and presumably (not truly) stupid individual. This entire film takes place with an interrogation between Kujan, the officer, and Verbal; Verbal recounts the events that occurred before the explosion, but constantly veers off-topic with seemingly made-up stories. Through his retelling, we learn about a group of 5 different criminals, Verbal included, forced to perform a heist on the ship containing drugs by our mystery man: Keyser Söze. Nobody knew what he looked like, how he ran his businesses, or where he was from.
Upon closer inspection, the names of multiple places and people referenced in the retelling can be found lying around the interrogation room. From the “fat—orca fat” man at a bar, and the criminal lawyer “Kobayashi,” not a single event Verbal described ever actually transpired. The only truth in the story lies in the names of the compliant criminals who all died on the boat. In the final scene, detective Kujan takes a satisfied look around the room, when the pieces of the puzzle finally start coming together. He drops his mug, and realizes Keyser Söze has escaped, to never be seen again. The brilliance of the film shines on a second watch when the audience can appreciate the masterful web of lies spun in front of them. Seemingly impossible, Söze crafts a foolproof story that convinces a seasoned detective.
The Usual Suspects is a film you can watch countless times, and it never gets boring or loses its allure. Even when you know the twist is coming, it will shock you time and time again—leaving goosebumps on your arms and your rear end off your seat. No doubt, The Usual Suspects is one of the greats—just remember, “the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”