Film Noir in The Usual Suspects

_Film Noir in The Usual Suspects

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 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

Berardinelli , James . Movie Review of The Usual Suspects (1995...