FRIDAY NIGHT MOVIE REVIEW: Last night I saw “The Usual Suspects,” which stars Gabriel Byrne (Miller’s Crossing, In Treatment [TV series]), Stephen Baldwin (Young Riders [TV series], Born on the Fourth of July), Benicio Del Toro (Snatch, Sicario), Kevin Pollak (Casino, A Few Good Men), Kevin Spacey (American Beauty, L.A. Confidential), Chazz Palminteri (Analyze This, A Bronx Tale), Pete Postlethwaite (Inception, The Lost World: Jurassic Park), and Suzy Amis (Titanic, Blown Away). It is directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Valkyrie) and is written by Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation, Edge of Tomorrow). It follows the story of five criminals, who end up getting entangled in a series of missions that lead to a cataclysmic gun battle on a boat.

I couldn’t resist picking this up when I saw it for five dollars (and on blu-ray at that!). “The Usual Suspects” has been recommended to me time and time again, which is odd considering how small of a release it was, yet how highly it has been praised. Having some alone time after returning for a short break from college, I took the opportunity to watch the film, and I gotta say…it’s pretty great. With many actors I’ve rarely or never seen on screen before (save for Spacey and Del Toro) coming together to craft such a gem of a feature, led by “X-Men” director Bryan Singer, it’s a shame that I have never watched it before. Basically, it’s your typical blame-game film where crooks are being investigated on a crime they didn’t commit, and tales are told about an event happening a few weeks prior. Although it may seem like familiar territory, it couldn’t have been spoken in a more original and fresh way than it did in this movie. The acting, directing, and plot were top notch in this release; everything was elevated on such a high level even though it wasn’t a complicated story. We are simply being told an account of something that happened six weeks ago to five criminals, constantly jumping around in time in order to mold a cohesive tale. It’s thrilling, intriguing, and well-orchestrated. Starting with the story, everything was fantastically set in place for us viewers to follow the trail. Sure, there may have been some kinks in the narrative, but overall it was performed well, especially in the dialogue. The scenes where the head cop is interrogating Spacey’s character are the best, and the way it escalates is captivating. I was wrapped up in the conversations and development amongst characters, even if it wasn’t that deep and told specifically from one figure. The journey of these criminals left me in the dark, providing twists and turns that soon ended brilliantly in a discovery that was shocking (even though I half-heartedly guessed it). The performances that held this film together were amazing. Some of these actors were people I never seen in a piece of cinema before, so it was a treat to see “new,” great talent. Kevin Spacey had to be the brightest star out of them all, however, and a personal favorite of mine. His character was one of the more different ones, and his portrayal grew stronger as time went by. Bryan Singer did a wonderful job directing and piecing together this film, aside from the writer. This is without a doubt his best work, far beating his “X-Men” entries. If there was anything I could say that is wrong with the film, it would be how some scenes are dry, especially in the beginning. It’s one of those movies where they progressively get better, and once it finishes, you consider it a classic. Like I stated, I loved the ending of this, and how it is edited is fantastic. So many great things to say, and I implore anyone to check it out. You’ll surely be pleased. FINAL SCORE: 96%= Juicy Popcorn

This movie has been inducted into The Juicy Hall of Fame.

Here is the trailer: