4.37 - THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995) & Story-Telling

The Prestige

This week, we focus on a doubly discredited (director and star) but undeniably classic film: THE USUAL SUSPECTS. After some reviews (and you can guess what they’ll be, with this film), we talk about a fundamental change in the heist genre, how we’re still not sure what happens in this film, and the story of the first time we saw this, over 20 years ago.

Next Time
Our next offering is Guy Ritchie’s 1998 breakout film, the British gangster movie LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS.

Recent Media
DEADPOOL (2016): Tim Miller, Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin
MEMORIES OF MURDER (2003): Bong Joon-ho, Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung
WEATHERING WITH YOU (2019): Makoto Shinkai, Kotaro Daigo, Nana Mori

Recommendations
ENEMY OF THE STATE (1998): Tony Scott, Will Smith, Gene Hackman
THE WAY OF THE GUN (2000): Christopher McQuarrie, Ryan Phillippe, Benicio del Toro
SICARIO (2015): Denis Villeneuve, Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin
BRASSED OFF (1996): Mark Herman, Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald

Footnotes
Firstly, there are some good points you may have missed in this article: https://whatculture.com/film/20-things-you-somehow-missed-in-the-usual-suspects. This piece is another good one: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/decider.com/2015/08/17/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-usual-suspects/amp. And this is good, too: https://screenrant.com/the-usual-suspects-behind-scenes-secrets-facts-trivia. (The film is a great one for a trivia rabbit-hole.) Here, for balance, given how effusive we are, is Roger Ebert’s decidedly lukewarm review: www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-usual-suspects-1995. Here, finally, is a review of that extraordinary performance from a great acting talent that Sam saw a surprisingly long time ago now (I was genuinely really surprised by the date): www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/stage/2007/may/31/theatre

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