Some one-liners are like life lessons. They’re short, sweet, and pass by you like a whiff of cool breeze, enlightening you only at the right moment, when you’re ready for it. For instance, “Keep your friends close and enemies closer,” delivered by Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather II (1974), is not just mafia sass but an invaluable life lesson. Another quote that is perfectly in sync with this sentiment is from Bryan Singer’s The Usual Suspects, delivered by Kevin Spacey as Roger “Verbal” Kint. While the quote embodies elusion and enigma, perfectly encapsulating the near-mythical spirit of the narrative’s antagonist, Keyser Söze, it also explores deeper realities of life and psychology. In this article, we’re examining how “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist” is a life truth packed in pure wit and panache. The Story and Themes Revolving around central themes of deception, myth, identity, and manipulation, The Usual Suspects centers on the interrogation of Kint, a small-time criminal and the sole survivor of a pier shoot-out. The police are running an intense investigation to track down a mysterious (read: anonymous) crime-lord, Keyser Söze. However, at the end of the film, it is revealed that Kint is Söze and had meticulously concocted an entire story to deceive the authorities to escape justice. The Scene The scene opens in a simple conversation, where Kint is talking to Officer Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri), narrating the lore that he has heard about...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday