The Usual Suspects (1995)

Drama Crime Thriller Directed by Bryan Singer
→ Influenced 2 films ← Inspired by 2 films

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.

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Films that influenced The Usual Suspects

← Inspired By (2)

Films inspired by The Usual Suspects

→ The Usual Suspects influenced these (2)

Sources

Influenced By

  1. Rashomon (1950)
    "Roger Ebert and other critics traced The Usual Suspects' unreliable-narrator structure directly to Rashomon — flashbacks that disagree with any objective reality, with the truth withheld by design. The technique Kurosawa pioneered in 1950 became the film's structural blueprint." source
  2. Citizen Kane (1941)
    "Singer explicitly cited Kane: an interrogator and a subject telling a story through fragmented flashback. Same architecture, applied to a heist mystery." source

Influenced

  1. The Prestige (2006)
    "This film weaves a complex web of lies and deceit, much like the twists and turns found in "The Prestige." The narrative's intricate structure and unexpected revelations have influenced many subsequent thrillers." The Best Psychological Thriller Movies Like 'The Prestige' Jason Bancroft Ranker
  2. The Departed (2006)
    "This film features intricate plots and themes of deception and identity, elements that are also central to "The Departed." The narrative complexity and character dynamics in "The Usual Suspects" have influenced subsequent crime thrillers, including Scorsese's work." Thereviewgeek source

The Usual Suspects (1995), directed by Bryan Singer, was inspired by 2 earlier films — including Rashomon and Citizen Kane — and has been cited as an influence on 2 later works, such as The Prestige and The Departed. Check out the citations below.