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The Usual Suspects

The Usual Suspects

Five criminals. One line up. No coincidence.

1995106 minRMidcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Director
Bryan Singer
Starring
Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak

Held in an L.A. interrogation room, Verbal Kint attempts to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord, Keyser Soze, not only exists, but was also responsible for drawing him and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro harbor – leaving few survivors. Verbal lures his interrogators with an incredible story of the crime lord's almost supernatural prowess.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Usual Suspects?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Usual Suspects streaming on Cinemax via Prime Video and HBO Max and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Usual Suspects?

The Usual Suspects earns 14 badges, led by Top 1% of films and Stood the test of time.

Show 6 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Usual Suspects worth watching?

The Usual Suspects' Midcredits score is the 99th percentile of all films, from 2.4M ratings across 6 sources. 93% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

99th percentile

Better received than 99% of films

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)98th
Approval (how many liked it)99th

83 /100

98th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 1990s

Critics 76 · Audience 83

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

93% liked it

99th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 1990s
93% rated it 7–107% rated it 1–6

Critics 87% · Audience 96%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

2 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 36 wins / 17 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Supporting Role
  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

99th percentile

2.4M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 29% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$6M
Opening weekend$645K
Domestic gross$23M
Worldwide gross$23M

Returned 3.9× its budget — 86th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a cleverly constructed crime thriller with a twist ending that fundamentally redefines everything the audience thought they knew.

Fans praised

  • masterful script with intricate layers and clever misdirection
  • Kevin Spacey's Oscar-winning performance as a deceptive, multi-layered con man
  • legendary twist ending that recontextualizes the entire narrative

Detractors panned

  • gimmicky twist that invalidates the story instead of enriching it
  • convoluted plot that relies on cheap narrative lies rather than fair clues
  • slow, boring first half with underdeveloped stock characters

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

compelling ensemble anchored by Spacey's Oscar-winning turn

EndingDivisive81

jaw-dropping final revelation that redefines the entire story

Plot and storyDivisive78

intricate non-linear puzzle with ingenious surprises and red herrings

OriginalityDivisive78

innovative unreliable-narrator structure and iconic twist

DialogueDivisive72

sharp, quotable exchanges and memorable one-liners

Atmosphere72

gritty noir mood with stylish shadowy visuals

CharactersDivisive64

colorful criminal archetypes with limited depth beyond the twist

Pacing42

slow first half that drags before accelerating to a tense finale

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Usual Suspects like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Mind-bender: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a puzzle and can give it your full attention.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch or you want every question answered.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Mind-bender.

Moods
TenseContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
The answer rests on this: Told as
Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material straight with a cool, confident detachment, inviting the audience to engage with the cleverness of the con rather than the emotional weight.
The rideThe film maintains a constant undercurrent of tension during the interrogation and heist sequences, occasionally breaking into moments of grim humor, but the pressure never fully lifts.
StructureThe story is framed by an interrogation, with the main narrative told in flashback by an unreliable narrator, making the structure central to the film's effect.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a chilling sense of being played, and the ambiguity of who was really in control lingers long after.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MysteryEnigma
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2% (this title)
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Enigma: The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).

7% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film is driven by the question of who Keyser Soze is, and the narrative is a layered deception that only resolves at the end, fitting the enigma subtype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsPower · 2% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the construction and manipulation of truth, where every story is a tactic and identity itself becomes a weapon.
StanceThe film interrogates the nature of truth and identity, showing that the story we are told is a constructed illusion that ultimately outwits its own audience.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · John Ottman
SettingA police interrogation room in a downtown LA precinct, with flashbacks to the New York criminal underworld and a ship in San Pedro Bay.
MusicOttman's score builds a brooding, noir-tinged atmosphere that underscores the tension without overpowering the dialogue.

Content guide

Is The Usual Suspects okay for kids?

R

The Usual Suspects is rated R: “Rated R for violence and a substantial amount of strong language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (75/100), sexual content at mild (28/100), language at severe (88/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (60/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 69% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 23 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland18
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina+16
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-12
  • Greece16
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • PhilippinesR-18
  • PortugalM/16
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 82% of all filmsHeavier than 69% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 22%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 87%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 76%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 52%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, violence, and frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Usual Suspects have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Usual Suspects?

Cast

2 award-winning performances in the cast.

Stephen Baldwin
as McManus
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gabriel Byrne
as Keaton
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Benicio Del Toro
as Fenster
Spirit win: Independent Spirit Award — Best Supporting MaleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Kevin Pollak
as Hockney
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Kevin Spacey
as Verbal
Oscar win: Academy Award — Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Chazz Palminteri
as Dave Kujan
Pete Postlethwaite
as Kobayashi
Suzy Amis
as Edie Finneran
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Giancarlo Esposito
as Jack Baer
Dan Hedaya
as Jeff Rabin

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Usual Suspects?

Movies like The Usual Suspects include Following (1998), Memento (2000) and No Good Deed (2002). Of the 12 closest matches, most are puzzle films, and several are films set in Los Angeles.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its subject: deception. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Usual Suspects?

997 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: con artist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.