The Usual Suspects
First screened in February 1996 / Most recently screened in June 2014

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Director: Bryan Singer. Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Chazz Palminteri, Giancarlo Esposito, Pete Postlethwaite, Suzy Amis, Dan Hedaya, Peter Greene, Castulo Guerra, Morgan Hunter, Louis Lombardi, Frank Medrano, Ken Daly, Clark Gregg, Christine Estabrook, Smadar Hanson. Screenplay: Christopher McQuarrie.

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Twitter Capsule: Neat structure but the mystery isn't hard to crack. Worse, I never sense it matters. Spacey not too convincing.

VOR: ④  Its influence surprised me but it was instant and long-lived. "Writerly" without aping Tarantino—hard to do in 1995.

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Photo © 1995 Gramercy Pictures/PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: C+

(in February 1996: C–)

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Academy Award Nominations and Winners:
★	Best Supporting Actor: Kevin Spacey
★	Best Original Screenplay: Christopher McQuarrie
Golden Globe Nominations:
	Best Supporting Actor: Kevin Spacey
Other Awards:
	Independent Spirit Awards: Best Supporting Actor (Del Toro); Best Screenplay
	New York Film Critics Circle: Best Supporting Actor (Spacey; also cited for Outbreak, Seven, and Swimming with Sharks)
	Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Supporting Actor (Spacey)
	National Board of Review: Best Supporting Actor (Spacey; also cited for Seven); Best Ensemble Cast
	British Academy Awards (BAFTAs): Best Original Screenplay; Best Film Editing (John Ottman)

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