The Usual Suspects (1995)

I feel like now is a good time to ask ABZ to re-review Kevin Spacey’s non-apology video where he sings and dances his way around being a predator.

Goodgwill Hunting

Hell yeah

Will See

lol. 10/10 ABZ comment.

Slayback

I watched the The Barbarians and was so excited to listen to the podcast about it. Really enjoyed the movie. Start to listen and the podcast and it was for The New Barbarians. So disappointed and felt pretty stupid.

Keep us posted

TimSharterofPittsburgh

I’m not a total coward I will own my mistake. I asked for this.

Joe B

FUCK that makes me wonder what else I’ve been wrong about for years. Im gonna think long and hard before I ever post again.

Joe B

I’ve got some good nuggets, will leave a voicemail.

Goodgwill Hunting

Trees Lounge (1996) Daniel Baldwin ... Jerry

Gabrus, Rodgers, and Stanger

Don't delete your comment above this, Joe B. Wear your shame for all to see.

Gabrus, Rodgers, and Stanger

Rodgers, sorry to be that psycho, but It’s not the Baldwin brother in Trees Lounge. It’s Anthony LaPaglia. Listening, I’m an hour in right now. If he notices at some point during the episode, my b. I’ll delete the comment. I am not proud of this,

Joe B

My girlfriend Mrs. Field's Cookie really enjoyed that part too.

HappyBirthdayPaulie

This (amazing, s-tier) episode deserves the praise afforded the (vastly overrated) film, The Usual Suspects. Sincerely, thank you Boyz for making me laugh in an otherwise stressful week. *Takes deep breath and resumes now in the obnoxious Action Faction Fan voice* Minor deduction for the lack of a fifth Usual Suspect when Rodgers’ spot on Spacey Verbal Kent listed the other Suspects. I counted four total; -Verbal Kent -Dar (‘he could talk with animals, good guy though’) -Gwildor (‘Sorcerer, good with Cosmic Keys, a real hothead’) -Paul Kersey (‘The real prize. He’s been a vigilante in five different American cities’) That’s four. Are we to take Gabrus’ assist (‘I like how you incorporated your limp in to your karate)’ as meaning that a Norris rounds out the squad?

Morgan

Mixing the Usual Suspects shit with Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man references really got me this ep. Love it.

Sean Hutchinson

One of those Action Boyz episodes that made me watch the movie after listening

Bring me the Head of Warren Oates

Just formally acknowledging Stanger's status as the king of specific references. Harley Davidson talking to Stacy's Pita Chips really got me. And let me add that I'm the Stanger of my friend group. And the other Action Boyz should kiss Stanger.

Kyle Daly

Sopranos being funnier than 30 Rock is the most insane take I've ever heard.

Phil Landry

I definitely watched this around the same time as Reservoir Dogs when I was wannabe young filmbro, but I also watched LA Confidential around then too which is an even better movie that also has Spacey and a twist around someone with an alias that everyone keeps talking about. I realize now why I've never wanted to rewatch the Usual Suspects.

Jared Niles

Teenage me would have been devastated to hear the boys talk about Usual Suspects and Boondock Saints lol.

Wadi

The weirdest “actor in an advert” experience I’ve seen was when Doug Bradley of Pinhead/Hellraiser fame appeared as a gym teacher in an advert for Direct Line Insurance. You’re sitting their watching a dull commercial for a bog-standard product when up pops the chief Cenobite in a school gym selling it. 😅

Dave McM

Its posse all over

Sneakaboard

once again listening to an episode of action boyz of a movie you actually have seen multiple times is an extra thrilling and hilarious rollercoaster

Chris Carosi

I was so in the tank for this movie when it came out back in 1995. I was 17 years old and a total little film snob shit. I was all ready to be critical and embarrassed when I rewatched it last weekend, but I still found it to be a lot of fun. It's not the 8.5 they give it on IMDB, but it's an entertaining movie that largely holds up. I loved every criticism Rodgers had for it, especially Keaton's restaurant pitch. Watching people try to sell things is painful. And all those goddamn plane landings. I also watched The Howling for the first time this weekend and thought it was great. I can't believe it's only a 6.5 on IMDB.

David Bauer

The part where they dive into the fountain for cover and it is filled with broken glass is so good.

Sneakaboard

I also love Way of the Gun. Like, I get that it has a lot of problems, but its also really fun, has a ton of really creative action and, like you say, has some great grounded touches that aren't in most movies like this.

Sneakaboard

I’m a listener from Louisiana (one of nature’s saunas), so I figured even if this isn’t true “movie trivia”, this may be something fun to consider. In the episode, Rodgers remarked on how the name “Kujan” makes you think of a renown French detective and not dumb like he’s portrayed Here, in Louisiana, there’s a lot of Cajun French spoken and a common term used is “coullion”, which is pronounced the same as the character “Kujan” from the film, and is used to refer to a foolish or dumb person. Doubt it was purposeful on Singer’s part, but who knows?

Lynn

I think I'm the only person who likes Way of the Gun. The gun fights and action set pieces are really great. There's a shootout outside the fertility clinic or something that we see the aftermath of, and you can see dead bystanders slumped in their cars, caught in the crossfire. It's real subtle and a great touch that rarely makes it into action movies. I stand by it. Except maybe how much Juliette Lewis screams.

Dustin

Is anybody good at finding old sports footage? I would love to watch a game Stanger played in but I can’t find any on the net

Michael Antonelli

Daikini-ass wife doesn't get it, but she's glad I am having fun out here. Long live the ActionBoyz!

Burglekutt

Fingers crossed for a twofer month of Gabriel Byrne in end of days/stigmata

Rich

My favorite cheapo moment is at the 41 minute mark when a scene in Chaz’s office starts with an exterior zoom to his window, feels like Seinfeld just came back from commercial break

Adam Ross

Chet Hanks was on the newest season of the Eric Andre show, which made me think of the Boyz. https://youtu.be/IbWWiOh7Nrs

Shoutout L.I.J. My dad ran a floor there for a few years in the 1970’s as an administrator, and I was born there.

Hammerthrust Von Sexron

Saw Mark Addy in a Martin McDonagh play, it was set in a bar and he had to down a bunch of fake beers throughout, which seems exhausting and ties in to the competitive eating talk. Great ep!

Timo Supremo

The crows peak colored sun glasses look actually goes hard

paleprince420

Im like a broken record here but The Intros are so fucking funny

Matt Brown

I was having such a good time listening to Stanger’s football stories that it was a big letdown to remember that this was the Usual Suspects episode. If it’s any consolation, Terrell Suggs won NFL defensive player of the year, got two Super Bowl rings, and is almost certainly going to the hall of fame.

Kevin Thomas Shane

I hope Ropo-Cop returns.

Data Janitor

I remember seeing this with friends in high school. We rented it and Wheels on Meals. Gotta say that Wheels on Meals stayed with me more than Usual Suspects over the years.

Jack McReynolds

Tim Gunn just walking around the Superman set telling people to “Make it work.”

Bob Brown

Real-time brutal squirrel murder

Andrew Lamberson

Ben’s impression of Scorsese reviewing ABZ got me good. So perfect 😂

Liz Arcury

https://youtu.be/eyXoM-62lX0 Gabrus mentioned the Wrongfully Accused scene. Here's a similar one from The Wrong Guy.

JarredPalmer

Could not agree more with the Boyz on this one. I was late to this movie, I think I didn't see it til around 2004 but I never understood the hype. People were talking about this like it was The Godfather. 100% on board if this was just viewed in the same way something like Con Air was that it was on TNT every other day during the summer as opposed to this cinematic masterpiece that will never be topped.

Scott Tammel

You're not crazy. I swear to God, I have a memory of Mark Addy making a talk show appearance in 1997 that I thought was associated with Mouse Hunt. It had to have been for The Full Monty, though. Maybe the first guest on that episode was Nathan Lane. Who knows.

David Bauer

My mom and dad are both from south Louisiana and often throw around the word "coo-yawn" in the same way "mudass" is used. Definitely used to describe bumbling idiots. Maybe Kujan was named with cajun slang in mind?

patreon_member

Yeah, it’s Nathan Lane in Mouse Hunt. They’re not similar at all, I fucked that up - the prospect of remembering something and getting credit for it was intoxicating

Ryan Stanger

Stanger, frantic: "Is he also in Mouse Hunt??"

David Bauer

Love this movie because I live in Pedro! We do not have our own police force. We're part of LA. Also it's pronounced Peedro with the hard 'E.' Great ep!

Andres Van Antwerp

Oh man, the boyz skipped passed redfoot flicking his cigarette in baldwin’s eye with no mention of it. There’s a half hour left so maybe they circle back.

Jeff

Talking about this movie in context of Reservoir Dogs got me thinking, swapping Pollock for Chris Penn immediately makes this like 30% better.

Eric U

Turns out Stanger crossing his fingers for the safe return of the souls aboard the Titan submersible didn’t do the trick

Melissa Joan Fart

Ropeocop was so violent, can’t believe they made a cartoon out of it

Sam Riebesehl (Reeb-Uh-Shell)

Is it just me, or is Pete Postlethwaite trying to do an Indian accent?

Adam Lane

Also Kaiser Permanente does insurance as well. I work in medical billing for physical therapy clinics and I've had to call them before to find out why claims weren't paid. Super useful information for you guys lol

StinkFist88

Right - getting me pumped for shadow wolves this month

StinkFist88

It will be good to finally see this movie. Someone spoiled the ending for me years ago before I was able to watch it. Hope it doesn't ruin my viewing.

Nitram

Sometimes I forget they record these episodes far in advance. So, hearing them speculate on the fate of the Titan sub is jarring.

Jared Blackman

Hidalgo is the funniest reference, every time I say it like the dude who announced trailers on VHS tapes

bloodflart

I met Billy Baldwin when I was a little kid...my dad had a childhood friend who was a producer on the movie Three of Hearts...we got invited to the set in NYC...i was 8-9 years-old...I got to see them film a scene in a restaurant...I then got to shake Billy's hand and I'll never forget what he said, 'hey, you're Willie, I'm Billy, we have the same name.' He walked away...

Willie Simpson

I think I saw this movie way too young and it imprinted on my brain and I can’t help but love it despite its stupidity.

EasyNJ

Since I don't trust any of you to know how to Google, here's the Key & Peele sketch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HI5CQ4Oc1I

Callum Taylor

I haven't seen or thought about this movie in YEARS, so naturally, this is the perfect ABZ movie.

Jason Wendleton

I actually started cackling when Spacey held the gun sideways. I've fully given up on ever being able to differentiate the non-Alec Baldwins.

Dark Angel Of The Year

I've been saying "Are you sure you brought enough guys?" when a dozen-plus suits file into conference rooms, for a long time. The food in Dublin at least is improved, thanks to Ireland's EU-subsidized economic growth and immigrant populations.

Adam Lewis

Christopher Nolan had his own Howard Hughes movie he was trying to set up that got nixed when the Scorsese one went into production. It was based on the Michael Drosnin book about a group of thieves who broke into this warehouse in LA that turned out to house a bunch of private papers from Hughes and then they tried to blackmail the family. The guy's other book is called "The Bible Code" so not sure how well researched it is but the story sounded interesting.

Eugenio Triana

I'm with Rodgers on this one - this movie is kind of a snooze. I remember showing this to my fiance and hyping it up because the last time I saw it was like 18. Didn't hit as hard at 35 lol

StinkFist88

!

Adam Lewis

It was Kevin Spacey the whole time. There we go, spoiled.

AMAZING!

I'm Madmartigan, AMA

Ereg