#119 - "The Usual Suspects" - The Movie That Pulled the Greatest Con on the Audience

In this episode, we break down The Usual Suspects and why it stands as the greatest cinematic con ever pulled on an audience. We dive into how Bryan Singer’s direction and Christopher McQuarrie’s screenplay construct a perfect illusion, leading to one of the most iconic twist endings in film history. We explore the brilliance of Verbal Kint, the layers of deception, and why the reveal of Keyser Söze still shocks viewers decades later. If you want to understand how a film can manipulate, misdirect, and completely outsmart its audience, this breakdown is for you.

Chapters:

00:00 The greatest con they ever did on an audience

14:26 The funny story behind the lineup scene

22:58 Turkey thought Benicio Del Toro was gay

24:23 The clues you missed

34:27 A mistake they had to use in the edit

37:37 Gus before he was Gus

40:24 Everyone thought they were Keyser Soze

44:24 Kevin Spacey in his prime

46:53 Our official rating & final thoughts

55:20 Cue the music