The Story of The Usual Suspects
The Usual Suspects is a 1995 mystery-thriller movie directed by Bryan Singer. Written by Christopher McQuarrie, the film tells a gripping story full of twists and deception. The plot centers on the testimony of Verbal Kint, a small-time con artist, about a massive crime involving a mythical crime lord, Keyser Söze.
The Beginning
The story starts with an explosion on a ship in San Pedro Bay, California. Almost everyone onboard is killed. The police find only two survivors: a burned Hungarian gangster and Verbal Kint, a con artist with a physical disability.
Verbal agrees to talk in exchange for immunity. He tells U.S. Customs Agent Dave Kujan about the events that led to the explosion.
The Criminal Lineup
Six weeks earlier, five criminals are rounded up by the police for a crime none of them committed. These criminals are:
- Dean Keaton: A former corrupt cop.
- Michael McManus: A short-tempered thief.
- Fred Fenster: McManus’s partner.
- Todd Hockney: An expert in explosives.
- Verbal Kint: A small-time con artist.
Frustrated at their unfair treatment, the group decides to work together on a series of heists.
The Arrival of Keyser Söze
Their successful heists catch the attention of a lawyer named Kobayashi. He claims to represent Keyser Söze, a mysterious and feared crime lord. According to Kobayashi, the group disrupted Söze’s operations. Now, they must repay Söze by completing a dangerous mission: attack a ship carrying criminals set to testify against him.
The Mission
The group reluctantly agrees to Kobayashi’s terms. However, during the mission, they realize there are no drugs on the ship, as they had been told. Instead, the ship carries a group of men who know too much about Söze. The group executes them, but the situation spirals out of control. The result is the deadly explosion we see at the start of the film.
The Twist
Agent Kujan becomes suspicious of Verbal’s story. Moreover, He believes Verbal is lying and that Dean Keaton might actually be Keyser Söze. Verbal denies this but seems nervous.
After Verbal is released, Kujan reviews the details of his testimony. Moreover, He suddenly realizes Verbal made up the entire story. Verbal used random items in the interrogation room to create his lies.
In a shocking twist, it turns out Verbal is Keyser Söze. As Kujan rushes to catch him, Verbal calmly walks away, his limp disappearing. He gets into a car and escapes, leaving Kujan stunned.
You might also enjoy our movie selection—click here to explore!
