Contrary to common notion, film noir is not really a genre. It pertains to the mood or tone of a film that usually have unhappy endings, where the hero is either killed or forced to make painful choices. (Dirks, 2006) Bryan Singer’s The Usual Suspects has the appearance and texture of a classic film noir. Its plot lures the viewer into seemingly abyss-like dark places. Plus it has a narrator, which is also a feature of noir classics. The fundamental elements of a noir — like melancholy, disenchantment, pessimism, moral corruption, evil, desperation and paranoia – are all present here.
However, being a contemporary film, The Usual Suspects employs the viewers’ awareness of movie traditions to subtly confuse them. In other words, the viewers run the risk of being tricked by their own suppositions while watching this film because the story is not really told in a linear form. The Usual Suspects is a maze of sub-plots — recounted through flashbacks, interrogation scenes and explosive sequences of a heist gone wrong — and the viewers should better expect the unexpected.
It will be noticed that as the story progresses, The Usual Suspects gradually raises the interest. The viewers are only allowed to take a peek at the story; making it appear that only the characters onscreen are conscious of what is happening. Gradually, however, everything is untangled by incessant switches from the past to the present and back. Indeed, this film necessitates that the viewers be conscientious about its details.
On the other hand, it must be noted that there are also classic film noir characters: the private eye hero, the femme fatale heroine, and the bizarre villain. (Dirks, 2006) One of the reasons why this film does not strictly conform to the description of a noir is that there is no femme fatale character here; they’re all rowdy boys in the middle of one adventure.
As The Usual Suspects moves towards its inevitable finale, Keyser Soze’s –a legendary criminal of such viciousness — shadowy presence becomes increasingly more ominous and important. In the end, The Usual Suspects is able to pull off and synthesize many noir elements.
References
Dirks, Tim. Film Noir. (2006) <http://www.filmsite.org/filmnoir.html>
Berardinelli, James. Movie Review of The Usual Suspects (1995) <http://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/u/usual.html>
