And here's why I feel betrayed by the Usual Suspects!

[emjen]

You shouldn't be reading this if you haven't seen it yet. But unless you're not planning to see the film anyway, read on.

So, most of you've probably seen the film and praised it's twist at the end, and how it made the film genius and one of the smartes crime films of all time and that, but I'm here to tell you that it's all bollocks, and it's crap filmmaking. Even lying.

Everything that I just saw, every exciting thing in the film, the way the characters behaved, what happened in the film -- it was all a buttfucking LIE. You expect truth to be told in an interview under oath (is he actually under oath? Don't think so. But you know what I mean. At least I assume so.) so when the Cop at the end looks at the wall behind him, and he sees the crook has MADE UP everything-- what have I just seen?

I have seen nothing. A dream. A lie. It's a common believe that Spacey is actually Keyser Soze himself-- but if everything is a lie-- if Kobayashi, the advocate, is made up off a coffee cup-- who's there to convince me that he is Keyser Soze, and not actually some smart criminal who got away clean? And if that's the point, why didn't anyone tell me?

Yesterday I was arrested by a cop, because I was peeing against a church in Amsterdam. I forgot my wallet, including my ID-- so I thought fuck it, a friend of mine lives nearby, I can make a run for it. It's not that big a crime anyway, he probably won't even chase me. Guess again. He called 3 different police cars, who actually BLOCKED the street, got me on my knees, hands on the back of my head, all in less then 3 seconds. Luckily, it was just a dream. But I felt like saying that in the end because I wanted to trick you into believing something excited happened to me.

[Patriarch]

One of the best films of the 90's. One of my favorite all time movies. Its so competent filmmaking. The actors, the shots, the music, the direction the mystery. Its simply great. What I also love about it is that its so lowtech, and simple filmmaking... just telling a great story.

However I do see your point, and with some films I agree. We as an audience are cheated in an unfair way - by showing us something thats not true. However in the Usual Suspects I can accept it becuase we ARE actually being lied to by a character. The lie is part of the story.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ May 24, 2006 02:41 PM: Message edited by: Christian Marcussen ]</font>

[emjen]

The lie IS the story.

Apart from the cops interrogation.

[Patriarch]

Right... But my point is wether we should feel betrayed or not. We should feel tricked - but the trick is part of the film... we are tricked along with the cop.

Some films betray the audience in a way where they show us something that isn't there, but with no legitamate reason (other than to betray us). In The Usual Suspects I would argue that the reason for the lie is legitamate.

[miker]

Reality is God's dream.