The Usual Suspects (1995)

The heist plot in The Usual Suspects makes sense maybe once, and that’s on a second viewing with notes. Five crooks, a burning boat, a lawyer with a strange name, a pile of double-crosses, and you’re nodding along hoping it matters later. Agent Kujan is supposedly a sharp interrogator and spends the movie getting talked in circles. The crew are mostly a vibe: the tough guy, the hothead, the one who mumbles. But what a vibe. Benicio del Toro’s Fenster talks like every word is being smuggled out one at a time. The lineup scene is the most fun five actors have ever had in a police station. Gabriel Byrne gives Keaton a tired dignity. And the final scene still makes people say ’wait’ out loud. It made $23.3 million worldwide on a reported $6 million budget. A 7.9 because the ending is a perfect trick and the movie leading up to it is mostly smoke. $28.72 says you can’t explain the plot to a friend afterward without drawing on a napkin.

What works: Benicio del Toro’s mumbling Fenster, the lineup scene, Gabriel Byrne’s tired cool, and one of the best final scenes in any crime movie.

What doesn’t: The plot is a tangle that only fully makes sense after the reveal, and the crew are mostly types instead of people.

Who it’s for: People who love a twist ending and want to watch it twice, and anyone who enjoys arguing about plot details for hours.