Lessons On Movies.com
  Free Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on The Usual Suspects

  GAMES:

  • Fill-in-the-blank
  • Matching
  • Hangman
  • Flash cards
  • Sentence jumble
  • Missing words
  • No letters
  • Crossword puzzle

The Usual Suspects is a 1995 American neo-noir film written by Christopher McQuarrie and directed by Bryan Singer. It stars Gabriel Byrne and Kevin Spacey. The film follows the interrogation of Roger "Verbal" Kint, a small-time con man who is one of only two survivors of a massacre and fire on a ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. He tells an interrogator a complicated story about events that led him and four other criminals to the boat, and of a mysterious mob boss known as Keyser Söze who commissioned their work. Using flashbacks and narration, Kint's story becomes increasingly complex. The film began as a title taken from a column in Spy magazine called "The Usual Suspects."

The Usual Suspects was well received by most critics, and it has an 89% rating at the Rotten Tomatoes.com movie review site. The movie was harshly criticised by some. Critic Roger Ebert gave the film one and a half stars out of four, considering it confusing and uninteresting. He also included it in his "most hated films" list. Hal Hinson of the Washington Post wrote, "Ultimately, The Usual Suspects may be too clever for its own good. The twist at the end is a corker, but crucial questions remain unanswered." Britain's The Independent also praised the film's ending: "The film's coup de grace is as elegant as it is unexpected. The whole movie plays back in your mind in perfect clarity."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Usual_Suspects

  TRAILER AND POSTER

THE USUAL SUSPECTS POSTER

1. SIX WORDS: Look at the poster and write down six words (more if you like) that you think of as you look at it. Share the words with your partner(s). Why did you choose them?

2. STORY: Talk about what you think the story of the movie is – the start, beginning, end, etc. Change partners and share stories.

3. CREDITS: Look at the credits on the poster (the actors, director, producer…) and talk about them with your partner(s).

4. MUST-SEE: Talk with your partner(s) about whether the poster and movie title are good and make you want to see the movie.

5. STARRING YOU: Imagine you are one of the stars of the movie. Talk about your role with your movie star partner(s).

THE USUAL SUSPECTS TRAILER

1. RETELL: Watch the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

2. CHUNKS: Watch 10-to-15 second chunks of the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

3. QUIZ: Watch the trailer and write down some quiz questions for your partner(s). Watch a second time to find the answers to the questions.

4. VOCABULARY: Make a note of words in the trailer that you see or hear. Talk about them with your partner(s).

5. GOOD / BAD: Watch the trailer and write down why you think the film might be good or bad. Share your ideas with your partner(s).

  MATCHING

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	interrogation	a.	sharpness
2	con man	b.	complex
3.	massacre	c.	fraudster
4.	complicated	d.	final blow
5.	commissioned	e.	questioning
6.	rating	f.	key
7.	confusing	g.	classification
8.	crucial	h.	authorized
9.	coup de grace	i.	slaughter
10.	clarity	j.	puzzling

PHRASE MATCH

1.	a 1995 American neo-	a.	remain unanswered
2	a small-	b.	increasingly complex
3.	a mysterious mob boss known	c.	its own good
4.	Kint's story becomes	d.	by most critics
5.	a title taken from a column	e.	criticised by some
6.	well-received	f.	in Spy magazine
7.	The movie was harshly	g.	noir film
8.	too clever for	h.	clarity
9.	crucial questions	i.	time con man
10.	in perfect	j.	as Keyser Söze

  LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

The Usual Suspects is a 1995 American (1) _________________ by Christopher McQuarrie and directed by Bryan Singer. It stars Gabriel Byrne and Kevin Spacey. The film follows the interrogation of Roger "Verbal" Kint, (2) _________________ who is one of only two survivors of a massacre and fire on a ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. He (3) _________________ a complicated story about events that led him and four other criminals to the boat, and of a (4) ___________________ known as Keyser Söze (5) ____________________ work. Using flashbacks and narration, Kint's story becomes increasingly complex. The film began (6) _________________ from a column in Spy magazine called "The Usual Suspects."

The Usual Suspects (7) ___________________ most critics, and it has an 89% rating at the Rotten Tomatoes.com movie review site. The movie was (8) _________________ by some. Critic Roger Ebert gave the film one and a (9) _________________ four, considering it confusing and uninteresting. He also included it in his "most hated films" list. Hal Hinson of the Washington Post wrote, "Ultimately, The Usual Suspects (10) _________________ its own good. The twist at the end is a corker, but crucial questions (11) _________________." Britain's The Independent also praised the film's ending: "The film's coup de grace is as elegant as it is unexpected. The whole movie plays back in your mind (12) _________________."

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	the roitngreiatno of Roger "Verbal" Kint
2.	one of only two survivors of a seasamcr
3.	a ship dkdeco at the Port of Los Angeles
4.	a ioyssemtur mob boss
5.	Using flashbacks and ortnnaair
6.	taken from a omclun in Spy magazine
Paragraph 2
7.	well crveedei by most critics
8.	an 89% ngtria
9.	The movie was sahylhr criticised by some
10.	too lvecre for its own good
11.	The Independent also praised the film's nngdei
12.	in perfect tcrayli

  PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT

the usual suspects is a 1995 american neo-noir film written by christopher mcquarrie and directed by bryan singer it stars gabriel byrne and kevin spacey the film follows the interrogation of roger "verbal" kint a small-time con man who is one of only two survivors of a massacre and fire on a ship docked at the port of los angeles he tells an interrogator a complicated story about events that led him and four other criminals to the boat and of a mysterious mob boss known as keyser söze who commissioned their work using flashbacks and narration kint's story becomes increasingly complex the film began as a title taken from a column in spy magazine called "the usual suspects"

the usual suspects was well received by most critics and it has an 89% rating at the rotten tomatoescom movie review site the movie was harshly criticised by some critic roger ebert gave the film one and a half stars out of four considering it confusing and uninteresting he also included it in his "most hated films" list hal hinson of the washington post wrote "ultimately the usual suspects may be too clever for its own good the twist at the end is a corker but crucial questions remain unanswered" britain's the independent also praised the film's ending "the film's coup de grace is as elegant as it is unexpected the whole movie plays back in your mind in perfect clarity"

  INSERT THE VOWELS

Th__s__l S_sp_cts _s _ 1995 _m_r_c_n n__-n__r f_lm wr_tt_n by Chr_st_ph_r McQ__rr__ _nd d_r_ct_d by Bry_n S_ng_r. _t st_rs G_br__l Byrn_ _nd K_v_n Sp_c_y. Th_ f_lm f_ll_ws th_ _nt_rr_g_t__n _f R_g_r "V_rb_l" K_nt, _ sm_ll-t_m_ c_n m_n wh_ _s _n_ _f _nly tw_ s_rv_v_rs _f _ m_ss_cr_ _nd f_r_ _n _ sh_p d_ck_d _t th_ P_rt _f L_s _ng_l_s. H_ t_lls _n _nt_rr_g_t_r _ c_mpl_c_t_d st_ry _b__t _v_nts th_t l_d h_m _nd f__r _th_r cr_m_n_ls t_ th_ b__t, _nd _f _ myst_r___s m_b b_ss kn_wn _s K_ys_r Söz_ wh_ c_mm_ss__n_d th__r w_rk. _s_ng fl_shb_cks _nd n_rr_t__n, K_nt's st_ry b_c_m_s _ncr__s_ngly c_mpl_x. Th_ f_lm b_g_n _s _ t_tl_ t_k_n fr_m _ c_l_mn _n Spy m_g_z_n_ c_ll_d "Th_ _s__l S_sp_cts."

Th__s__l S_sp_cts w_s w_ll r_c__v_d by m_st cr_t_cs, _nd _t h_s _n 89% r_t_ng _t th_ R_tt_n T_m_t__s.c_m m_v__ r_v__w s_t_. Th_ m_v__ w_s h_rshly cr_t_c_s_d by s_m_. Cr_t_c R_g_r _b_rt g_v_ th_ f_lm _n_ _nd _ h_lf st_rs __t _f f__r, c_ns_d_r_ng _t c_nf_s_ng _nd _n_nt_r_st_ng. H_ _ls_ _ncl_d_d _t _n h_s "m_st h_t_d f_lms" l_st. H_l H_ns_n _f th_ W_sh_ngt_n P_st wr_t_, "_lt_m_t_ly, Th__s__l S_sp_cts m_y b_ t__ cl_v_r f_r _ts _wn g__d. Th_ tw_st _t th_ _nd _s _ c_rk_r, b_t cr_c__l q__st__ns r_m__n _n_nsw_r_d." Br_t__n's Th_ _nd_p_nd_nt _ls_ pr__s_d th_ f_lm's _nd_ng: "Th_ f_lm's c__p d_ gr_c_ _s _s _l_g_nt _s _t _s _n_xp_ct_d. Th_ wh_l_ m_v__ pl_ys b_ck _n y__r m_nd _n p_rf_ct cl_r_ty."

  MARK THE SPACES

TheUsualSuspectsisa1995Americanneo-
noirfilmwrittenbyChristopherMcQuarrieanddirectedbyBryanSinger.
ItstarsGabrielByrneandKevinSpacey.Thefilmfollowstheinterrogatio
nofRoger"Verbal"Kint,asmall-
timeconmanwhoisoneofonlytwosurvivorsofamassacreandfireonash
ipdockedatthePortofLosAngeles.Hetellsaninterrogatoracomplicated
storyabouteventsthatledhimandfourothercriminalstotheboat,andof
amysteriousmobbossknownasKeyserSözewhocommissionedtheirw
ork.Usingflashbacksandnarration,Kint'sstorybecomesincreasinglyc
omplex.ThefilmbeganasatitletakenfromacolumninSpymagazinecall
ed"TheUsualSuspects."TheUsualSuspectswaswellreceivedbymostc
ritics,andithasan89%ratingattheRottenTomatoes.commoviereview
site.Themoviewasharshlycriticisedbysome.CriticRogerEbertgaveth
efilmoneandahalfstarsoutoffour,consideringitconfusingandunintere
sting.Healsoincludeditinhis"mosthatedfilms"list.HalHinsonoftheWa
shingtonPostwrote,"Ultimately,TheUsualSuspectsmaybetoocleverf
oritsowngood.Thetwistattheendisacorker,butcrucialquestionsremai
nunanswered."Britain'sTheIndependentalsopraisedthefilm'sending
:"Thefilm'scoupdegraceisaselegantasitisunexpected.Thewholemovi
eplaysbackinyourmindinperfectclarity."

  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

  THE USUAL SUSPECTS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about The Usual Suspects in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	Student 1 __________	Student 2 __________	Student 3 __________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

  WRITING

Write your own movie review. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other's work.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about "The Usual Suspects". Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about "The Usual Suspects". What are (did) critics and moviegoers saying (say) about it? How good were the actors' performances? What was good and bad about the movie? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. "THE USUAL SUSPECTS" POSTER: Make a poster about "The Usual Suspects". Make sure you put tag lines, audience and critics' reviews, why people should see it, etc.  Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY PREQUEL / SEQUEL: Make your own prequel or sequel for  "The Usual Suspects". Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

6. CHARACTER STORY: Choose one of the characters from the movie. Imagine you are that character. Write your story about what you did in the movie. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

7. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, Twitter stream, or any other social media tool to get opinions on "The Usual Suspects". Share your findings with the class.

  ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	interrogation	a.	questioning
2	con man	b.	fraudster
3.	massacre	c.	slaughter
4.	complicated	d.	puzzling
5.	commissioned	e.	authorized
6.	rating	f.	classification
7.	confusing	g.	complex
8.	crucial	h.	key
9.	coup de grace	i.	final blow
10.	clarity	j.	sharpness

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Please check for yourself by looking at the movie review article at the top of the page.
(It's good for your English ;-)