SummaryFive career criminals in New York are rounded up for a standard police line-up. After release, they get together for a bit of revenge by pulling off a $3 million emerald heist. This scheme brings them to the attention of an underworld crime figure who convinces them to do a highly dangerous job.
Directed By:Bryan Singer
Written By:Christopher McQuarrie
The Usual Suspects
Metascore
Generally Favorable
76
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.5
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
82% Positive
18 Reviews
18 Reviews
14% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
5% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
100
A near-classic blend of mystery, personality, humor and terror, laced with one stunning shock after another. [18 August 1995, Friday, p.C]
89
A movie with style to burn, and, initially, that is this crime drama's most mesmerizing aspect.
User score
Universal Acclaim
91% Positive
525 Ratings
525 Ratings
7% Mixed
42 Ratings
42 Ratings
2% Negative
12 Ratings
12 Ratings
Jan 20, 2026
10
A masterpiece watched in 2011 that earned a perfect rating, leaving an indelible mark on my cinematic memory.241113 (5.0)I watched this film in 2011 and gave it a perfect five-star rating. Although a decade has passed, the impact of that viewing remains clear—it was a cinematic experience that felt complete and flawless at the time. A 5.0 rating is a rare and significant score for me, reserved only for those works that manage to balance profound storytelling with exceptional technical execution. Even without a detailed written record from that year, the score itself serves as a testament to how deeply the film resonated with my younger self. It represents a standard of excellence that I still look back on with great respect, marking a moment where the art of film truly connected with my personal perspective. Looking back, it stands as one of the defining movies of that period in my life, a baseline for what a perfect film should achieve.
Jan 26, 2026
10
the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
88
Dense, ironic and thoroughly engrossing caper melodrama.
80
The Usual Suspects is a maze that moviegoers will be happy to get lost in, a criminal roller coaster with twists so unsettling no choice exists but to hold on and go along for the ride.
75
Dense with plot intricacies, thick with atmosphere, and packed with showy roles for a hip ensemble.
60
Screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie's tough-guy dialogue and Bryan Singer's crisp direction give the ensemble cast every opportunity to shine, and they do.
38
To the degree that you will want to see this movie, it will be because of the surprise, and so I will say no more, except to say that the "solution," when it comes, solves little - unless there is really little to solve, which is also a possibility.
Oct 20, 2024
10
"The Usual Suspects" is an ironic, bang-up thriller about the wages of crime. A terrific cast of exciting actors socks over this absorbingly complicated yarn that's been spun in a seductively slick fashion by director Bryan Singer and writer Christopher McQuarrie future master of Mission: Impossible series. 30 years later it's still a near-classic blend of mystery, personality, humor and terror, laced with one stunning shock after another that still amazes you every time you watch.
Nov 12, 2024
6
This has a fantastic ending. The build-up is interesting and exciting. Once you know the ending though it kinda ruins the whole film so I don’t see me watching this again. I am not a huge fan of gangster films but this one is better than most of the others and is actually enjoyable. Some might even call it a cinematic masterpiece but due to the lack of rewatchability I personally would not call it that.
Feb 22, 2021
6
It’s a good movie, the most dated movie I’ve seen, ever. The entire twist is absolutely absurd. The whole premise of the movie is STUPID to be frank, but it is entertaining
Aug 30, 2014
3
Don't really get the point of seeing this kind of entertainment movie, not to mention one that you immediately figured out from the VERY beginning the biggest "suspense" that it tries to keep. You learn nothing. What a total waste of time.
Feb 6, 2016
2
The Usual Suspects is just so usual, that i predicted the end in the beginning. So decent and boring, and i couldn't care less about the characters. But i think you should watch it, because all other people enjoyed it, and it may be just my point of view.
Production Company:
- Polygram Filmed Entertainment
- Spelling Films International
- Blue Parrot
- Bad Hat Harry Productions
- Rosco Film GmbH
Release Date:Aug 16, 1995
Duration:1 h 46 m
Rating:R
Tagline:The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn't exist
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Awards Circuit Community Awards
• 2 Wins & 5 Nominations
