Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

The Usual Suspects

  • 19951995
  • RR
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
1.1M
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
470
16
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, and Kevin Pollak in The Usual Suspects (1995)
Home Video Trailer from Gramercy Pictures
Play trailer2:25
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Mystery

A sole survivor tells of the twisty events leading up to a horrific gun battle on a boat, which began when five criminals met at a seemingly random police lineup.A sole survivor tells of the twisty events leading up to a horrific gun battle on a boat, which began when five criminals met at a seemingly random police lineup.A sole survivor tells of the twisty events leading up to a horrific gun battle on a boat, which began when five criminals met at a seemingly random police lineup.

IMDb RATING
8.5/10
1.1M
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
470
16
  • Director
    • Bryan Singer
  • Writer
    • Christopher McQuarrie
  • Stars
    • Kevin Spacey
    • Gabriel Byrne
    • Chazz Palminteri
Top credits
  • Director
    • Bryan Singer
  • Writer
    • Christopher McQuarrie
  • Stars
    • Kevin Spacey
    • Gabriel Byrne
    • Chazz Palminteri
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1.4KUser reviews
    • 147Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #39
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 37 wins & 17 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Usual Suspects
    Trailer 2:25
    The Usual Suspects

    Photos150

    Kevin Spacey and Stephen Baldwin in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Stephen Baldwin and Kevin Pollak in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, and Benicio Del Toro in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, and Kevin Pollak in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Kevin Spacey and Gabriel Byrne in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, and Kevin Pollak in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Dan Hedaya and Chazz Palminteri in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Gabriel Byrne and Pete Postlethwaite in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Benicio Del Toro in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Stephen Baldwin and Pete Postlethwaite in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Gabriel Byrne in The Usual Suspects (1995)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kevin Spacey
    Kevin Spacey
    • Verbalas Verbal
    Gabriel Byrne
    Gabriel Byrne
    • Keatonas Keaton
    Chazz Palminteri
    Chazz Palminteri
    • Dave Kujanas Dave Kujan
    Stephen Baldwin
    Stephen Baldwin
    • McManusas McManus
    Benicio Del Toro
    Benicio Del Toro
    • Fensteras Fenster
    Kevin Pollak
    Kevin Pollak
    • Hockneyas Hockney
    Pete Postlethwaite
    Pete Postlethwaite
    • Kobayashias Kobayashi
    Suzy Amis
    Suzy Amis
    • Edie Finneranas Edie Finneran
    Giancarlo Esposito
    Giancarlo Esposito
    • Jack Baeras Jack Baer
    Dan Hedaya
    Dan Hedaya
    • Jeff Rabinas Jeff Rabin
    Paul Bartel
    Paul Bartel
    • Smuggleras Smuggler
    Carl Bressler
    Carl Bressler
    • Saul Bergas Saul Berg
    Phillipe Simon
    • Fortieras Fortier
    Jack Shearer
    Jack Shearer
    • Renaultas Renault
    Christine Estabrook
    Christine Estabrook
    • Dr. Plummeras Dr. Plummer
    Clark Gregg
    Clark Gregg
    • Dr. Waltersas Dr. Walters
    Morgan Hunter
    • Arkosh Kovashas Arkosh Kovash
    Ken Daly
    • Translatoras Translator
    • Director
      • Bryan Singer
    • Writer
      • Christopher McQuarrie
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    American History X
    8.5
    American History X
    The Departed
    8.5
    The Departed
    The Silence of the Lambs
    8.6
    The Silence of the Lambs
    Goodfellas
    8.7
    Goodfellas
    Léon: The Professional
    8.5
    Léon: The Professional
    Se7en
    8.6
    Se7en
    The Prestige
    8.5
    The Prestige
    Memento
    8.4
    Memento
    One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
    8.7
    One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
    Gladiator
    8.5
    Gladiator
    Pulp Fiction
    8.9
    Pulp Fiction
    Saving Private Ryan
    8.6
    Saving Private Ryan

    Storyline

    Edit
    Following a truck hijack in New York, five criminals are arrested and brought together for questioning. As none of them are guilty, they plan a revenge operation against the police. The operation goes well, but then the influence of a legendary mastermind criminal called Keyser Söze is felt. It becomes clear that each one of them has wronged Söze at some point and must pay back now. The payback job leaves 27 men dead in a boat explosion, but the real question arises now: Who actually is Keyser Söze? —Soumitra
    • surprise ending
    • criminal mastermind
    • criminal
    • suspect
    • unreliable narrator
    • 270 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Mystery
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence and a substantial amount of strong language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Redfoot flicks his cigarette into the face of McManus, it was originally intended to hit his chest, so McManus' reaction is actually Stephen Baldwin's real unscripted reaction, which Bryan Singer decided to keep in the movie.
    • Goofs
      During Verbal's interrogation, his coffee mug is empty when he takes the first sip. In the next scene, it is fine.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Verbal: After that my guess is that you will never hear from him again. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist. And like that... he is gone.

    • Crazy credits
      The editor, John Ottman, edited the movie on film. He felt that all the editing done electronically at the time was horrible because all the good editors were still working on film (which is much more difficult). Because of this he thought about putting "Edited on a piece of s*** Steenbeck" at the end of the credits, but instead settled for the more subtle line "Edited on film." Tim Robbins was directing 'Dead Man Walking' at the time and heard about John's idea, which sparked that film's credit ending of "This film was edited on old machines."
    • Alternate versions
      The Australian television version left the line-up scene unedited for language. However, all other scenes with strong language, such as McManus's call for payback at the discovery of Finster's body, were shortened or removed.
    • Connections
      Edited into Keyser Söze: Lie or Legend? (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      Le sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir
      Performed by Jon Kull

      Music by Claude Debussy

    User reviews1.4K

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    "and like that...he was gone."
    Boasting petty criminal characters conceived so brilliantly they achieve near-mythological status, The Usual Suspects is known for riveting suspense and action, an intriguing plot line and a jaw- dropping twist at the end. It also features some of the most memorable lines of the 1990s: "How do you shoot the devil in the back--what if you miss?" The characters, Roger "Verbal" Kint (Kevin Spacey), Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne), Michael McManus (Stephen Baldwin), Fred Fenster (Benicio Del Toro), Todd Hockney (Kevin Pollak), Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) and Kobayashi (Pete Postlethwaite) have real character details and cues.

    The film is set in the aftermath of a ship fire that totally burns the cargo and crew. Though meek and disabled, Verbal is the only survivor to walk away from the incident unscathed. He is taken into custody and grilled by the police. Brilliantly played in a characteristic, understated style that earned Spacey an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Verbal is cleared and allowed to leave. But before he can go, agent Kujan from US Customs shows up to interrogate him. Kujan is trying to build a case against Keaton and he wants Verbal to testify in exchange for immunity. Verbal refuses, but Kujan still bullies Verbal into recounting his story of Keaton, McManus, Fenster and Hockney, leading up to the explosion on the ship.

    What follows is a fantastic yarn of lies and half-truths sprinkled within the facts of the case. It is all masterfully portrayed as a series of flashbacks while Verbal and Kujan sip coffee and talk in the LA police station. The story begins six weeks earlier in New York City as Verbal and the other four criminals are brought in to stand side-by-side in a police lineup. None of them are formally charged with a crime, and there are indications Keaton has actually gone straight prior to the roundup. But before they are released, the five hatch a plan to get revenge on the corrupt NYPD and make a large sum of money in the process by robbing a police-protected jewel smuggler and leaking news of the police involvement to the press. Keaton is reluctant and must be coaxed into it with the promise that no one will be killed in the heist. He agrees and the quintet pulls off the robbery to perfection. The acting and writing take chances that pay off, with each actor fully immersing himself in his role. Del Toro creates a uniquely colorful persona in his portrayal of Fenster, Baldwin conveys a reckless abandon and lust for violence, Pollak shows steely courage and resolve, Byrne is a complex mesh of toughness with motives pulling him in all directions. Each actor is at the top of his game.

    The five criminals go to Los Angeles to lay low in the aftermath of the New York heist. There, they are enticed into another robbery that is also supposed to involve no killing. Unfortunately, this LA heist goes horribly wrong. As Verbal recounts this carnage, its aftermath and the growing problems and hostility in the crew, agent Kujan receives a tip from one of his colleagues who has a survivor pulled from the water near the charred wreckage of the ship. The witness is badly burned and cannot speak English, but insists that the man responsible for the destruction of life and property on the ship is named Kaiser Soze.

    Whether it is attributable to lies in Verbal's yarn or odd casting decisions, several characters in The Usual Suspects add to the film's mystique. Chief among these is the Irish Postlethwaite cast as the Japanese Kobayashi. There is a strong clue at the end that the name Kobayashi is used solely to mislead Kujan. But Kobayashi is not the only instance of a character's name failing to match his appearance. Another example is McManus' contact in LA, Redfoot, which one would expect to be the name of a Native American. But Redfoot appears to be caucasian. Again, at the end there is an indication that Verbal used Redfoot to avoid giving Kujan a real name. Strange ethnic inconsistencies crop up constantly. Kaiser Soze is said to be Turkish, possibly with a German father. These mixed-up character portraits add a layer of complexity to the plot, but one must always consider the source, Verbal Kint, and his motives.

    The dynamic between Kujan and Verbal itself is pure entertainment. A kind of cat-and-mouse game, nuances are thrown into the proceedings that make it more interesting and add depth to the characters. Even the way the interrogation is filmed is unique. Verbal didn't achieve his nickname for no reason. He knows how to run his mouth and Kujan has a difficult challenge in corralling him. Underlying the interrogation is Kujan's suspicion of Keaton and his belief that Keaton manipulated Verbal. But Verbal is hard to pin down and Kujan occasionally resorts to bully tactics. But who is Kaiser Soze? Did he orchestrate the police lineup in New York, and pull all the strings ever since? Is the cargo of the ship drugs or only human cargo? Why did Verbal survive unharmed while so many others did not? Did Keaton really die, as Verbal insists, or did he slip away, as Kujan believes? Is Verbal telling the truth? Much is revealed in the final moments of the film, which wash over the viewer like an enormous wave of recognition. Snippets of dialogue from earlier in the film are montaged over the complex score, providing spine-tingling clues about exactly what part of Verbal's yarn was fact and what was fiction. The final snippet of dialogue, followed by a fortissimo string finale is especially powerful: "and like that...he was gone."
    helpful•43
    21
    • Vishal_s_kumar
    • Nov 21, 2009

    FAQ11

    • Is "The Usual Suspects" based on a book?
    • Where does the title come from?
    • Who are the "usual suspects?"

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 16, 1995 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Germany
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • Hungarian
      • Spanish
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Nghi Phạm Vô Hình
    • Filming locations
      • San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
      • Spelling Films International
      • Blue Parrot
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $23,341,568
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $645,363
      • Aug 20, 1995
    • Gross worldwide
      • $23,341,568
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

    Disney+ Unveils Debut Australia And New Zealand Slate: Miranda Otto, Jesse Spencer, Guy Pearce Set For Dramas
    Disney+ Unveils Debut Australia And New Zealand Slate: Miranda Otto, Jesse Spencer, Guy Pearce Set For Dramas
    May 17Deadline Film + TV
    The Usual Suspects Ending Explained: The Greatest Trick The Devil Ever Pulled
    The Usual Suspects Ending Explained: The Greatest Trick The Devil Ever Pulled
    May 14Slash Film

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, and Kevin Pollak in The Usual Suspects (1995)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of The Usual Suspects (1995) in Canada?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:14
    The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.