Usual Suspects

1. Usual Suspects Alejandra, Jesse, Kevin, Raymond Period 5

2. General Overview • The Usual Suspects • Directed by Bryan Singer • an interrogation of a con man named Verbal Kint, who is one of two survivors of the San Pedro Bay boat explosion • He joins four other men in “jobs”, working as the “man with the plan”

3. Major Characters • Fenster -tall, has a distinct speech pattern, dies first; flat and static • McManus –crazy, talks a lot; flat, static • Hockney-has a short temper; flat, static • Keaton-unmotivated, round, dynamic • Verbal-protagonist, good actor, mastermind, round, dynamic • Agent Kujan-antagonist, arrogant investigator, round, dynamic

4. Minor Characters • Agent Baer- an FBI agent who speaks with Kovash • Kovash-the Hungarian survivor of the boat explosion • Kobayashi-the second-hand man of Keyser Soze • Redfoot-the drug dealer who gives the five men a job • Edie-Keaton’s girlfriend and lawyer

5. Temporal Relationship • The events in the film are arranged in a specific way • The scenes alternate between past and present, showing their relationships • Spatial:

6. Subplot/Subtext • Relationship between Keaton and Edie • Agent Baer’s part of the investigation • Verbal’s friendship with Keaton • Subtext: We feel the characters don’t openly discuss trust, but we know that they have trust at the end, because they are surprised that Verbal betrayed them.

7. Story/Plot/ Narrative • Diegesis: Music, Text onscreen • Chronological in some aspect • Key Moments • Climax: • Boat scene in Verbal’s flashback • Kujan’s conclusion • Dramatic Irony • Pace: fast

8. Title and Opening • The camera pans over left to right over the ocean, with the moon shining down. The title and the credits appears with white text on the right side one by one. By doing this, the directors create ambiance and subtlety, leading up to the boat scene.

9. Point of View • There are two points of views: • Verbal’s point of view (Restricted): • He tells Agent Kujan his story leading up to the boat scene. • Objective point of view (Unrestricted): • Everything outside of the story. • We know more than the characters about the plot, but we are limited to what Verbal tells us.

10. Boat Scene • Keaton lays on crates, trying to start a fire. • However, a mysterious figure puts out the fire and shoots him. • Later, we know that this man is Keyser Soze, • This scene sets up the movie, which then shows us the events that leads to this scene.

11. Hospital Scene • Kovash first mentions Keyser Soze 21:03

12. Bulletin Board

13. Guatemala • Beans from Guatemala • “Back when I was picking beans in Guatemala, we used to make fresh coffee. Right off the trees, I mean.” 25:42

14. Kobayashi • Verbal looks under coffee cup. • sees the name Kobayashi Kobayashi 25:55

15. After the Lineup

16. Heist#1 • True

17. Barbershop Quartet • Skokie, Illinois • “You know, back when I was in that Barbershop Quartet in Skokie, Illinois…” 42:03

18. “Redfoot” • Fake name • True event

19. Meeting with Kobayashi • Kobayashi is a real person • Event is true.

20. Bricks Marlin • During the meeting, Fenster talks about Bricks Marlin, whom he did jobs for.

21. Refusing the Offer

22. Kujan’s Conclusion • False • Keaton shoots himself?

23. Fax of Keyser Soze • Verbal Kint = Keyser Soze

24. Motifs • Cigarette-repeated in every heist and scheme • Watch-shown in the first scene when Keaton asks for the time and at the end when Verbal picks up his things, which include a gold watch. • Music- a certain music when Keyser appears • Dialogue – the conversations between Verbal and Kujan • “I am not a rat.” • “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn’t exist.”

25. Parallelism • The movie shows the scene where Keaton is shot by Keyser Soze several times. • Each scene shows us something slightly different. Up to the end, we are mislead to a conclusion, but in the end, we realize which scenes are fake.

26. Meaning • Emotional: feeling of betrayal; trust • Explicit: One shouldn’t trust a criminal, especially one that’s smart • Implicit: One shouldn’t be too confident or arrogant. • Referential: Some people can be sneaky, cruel, and merciless like the Devil. • Symptomatic: People are fearful of the Devil and uncertainty.

27. Symbolism • Keyser Soze is like the Devil, the common fear that many people have towards death. • The cigarettes and fire are metonyms, representing deceit and schemes. They ignite the trail of oil leading to the big bang.

28. Theme/Tropes • Life is full of surprises and deception • The five guys don’t know why they were in the line-up • Kobayashi appears to the five guys claiming to work for Keyser Soze • Agent Kujan looks at the bulletin board.

29. Message • The film tries to show us the dark and deceptive side of human nature. • A person with a strong will can manipulate others into what that person wants them to believe. • Verbal tricks Kujan, making him believe that Verbal is weak.

30. Good Story? Yes. • Unified Plot – Subplots tie into main plot. • Credible/Plausible – Usual Suspects has verisimilitude, a believable story. • Internal Truths–The characters are believable • Artistic Semblance or Truth–Although the story is fiction, the setting is realistic. • Interesting • Simple in plot; complex in review. • Fear and evilness is not exaggerated.