I finally got around to renting "The Usual
Suspects," last night. What the film accomplished in camera
work, editing, and performances was not supported at all by the
script. I felt cheated at the end, like I had just watched a
long, tightly paced student film (the USC kind, rather than the
NYU kind) in which the director and screenwriter forgot to ask
themselves whether a scintilla of logic might have helped them
along the way. More to the point, I couldn't understand why an
arch-criminal would go to such lengths to wipe out the one guy
who could finger him, only to walk right into the offices of both
federal and local police agencies, and spend two hours sparring
with a fed agent who might be onto him at any moment. I also
couldn't figure out what the deal with his immunity was; how did
he arrange it, and why did he think that it wouldn't cast
suspicion on him?
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