The 1995 film, "The Usual Suspects," was voted the 35th greatest screenplay by the Writer's Guild in 2006 and ranks as the 21st most popular film of all time (according to Imdb.com). Although a mesmerizing plot is weaved throughout the film, it is the jaw-dropping twist at the end of the movie that audiences remember most. Before I begin, I just want to let you know that this post will contain spoiler information.
In the final scene, we learn that narrator Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) has been anything but reliable. We are left wondering how much of what we saw and heard was true. For his role as the fiendish con man Kint, Spacey won the Oscar for "Best Supporting Actor." While some viewers loved the ride, others felt cheated, as if they had been 'played.' That's certainly understandable considering how hard your brain has to work to uncover the ultimate mystery, just "who is Keyser Soze?"
Inevitably, the architects of "The Usual Suspects" were asked just 'how much of Kint's story was true?' The answer is fascinating. The primary creators of the masterful crime drama are writer Christopher McQuarrie and director Bryan Singer. McQuarrie's efforts earned him an Oscar for "Best Original Screenplay." In a 2008 Associated Press article titled, "Writer Recalls Truth, Fiction of 'Usual Suspects'," McQuarrie reveals a mind-boggling realization.
After the film was finished, McQuarrie and Singer were preparing to do press interviews when they discovered a countrywide gap in their conceptions about the plot. McQuarrie said, "I pulled Bryan aside the night before press began and I said, `We need to get our stories straight because people are starting to ask what happened and what didn't.'" McQuarrie then recalls that "... we got into the biggest argument we've ever had in our lives." So much for being on the same page.
The reason for clash was that one of them felt the story was all lies "peppered with little bits of truth." The other believed that it was all [or mostly] true, but "peppered with tiny, little lies." McQuarrie continues, "We each thought we were making a movie that was completely different from what the other one thought." Wow! I found this 'truth' to be more shocking than the film's surprise ending! The writer and director had essentially opposite opinions about the film's most important plot detail - the "truthiness" of Kint's narration. So who believed what? McQuarrie wouldn't tell.
Reading the article evoked two personal development concepts that I'll share now.
Lesson 1: "Truth" and "Reality" are Highly Subjective and Often Have Lots of Wiggle Room
You won't find many people arguing that Michael Jackson is dead. But the exact time of death, that's a different matter entirely - even though a doctor was present. When machines that monitor our heart rate and brainwaves came along, we trusted doctors to "pronounce" someone dead. The only problem is that people have come back to life long after machines indicated they had passed on. While some truths seem fairly safe from interpretation, whenever people and events are involved, the wiggle room grows by leaps and bounds. The above story about "The Usual Suspects" makes that crystal clear. The reason is that interpretation comes from one limited perspective, yours. This is important to remember when we listen to a point of view that we disagree with.
There is a strong tendency to think about how “open-minded” we are when considering another person’s actions. You've probably noticed that when people cheer for their favorite sports teams they tend to overlook "their" team's weaknesses, but pounce on the opponents' faults. When it comes to foods, we all have a few favorites. Two people might call watermelon the "best" fruit in the world. However, one might believe this for health reasons and the other person for taste. Events are never neutral. Start questioning and challenging your own beliefs and opinions if you truly want to be more "open-minded." No one can stand where you are and see things through your subjective perspective... and vice versa.
Lesson 2: Adding More Perspectives Will Help You Be More Open-Minded
In the movie, whether the surprise ending delights you or makes you want to scream, is up to you. The "truth" is often something we unconsciously choose. How the world appears to you is largely related to your beliefs and what you choose to think about.
I've made it a habit to find something that I can transform into a positive simply by becoming aware of my glass half-empty mindset (or another person's). I then imagine some other possible perspectives. I'll use the weather as an example since it snowed earlier today in Kentucky, where I live. To an adult, a winter storm may generate worry about getting into an accident on the way to work. A child on the other hand may have visions about sledding and shout, 'this is the best day of my life.' Just think about how different snow seems to an Eskimo, as opposed to a Floridian.
One of the best ways to become aware of limiting perspectives is to add new ones. The more often we are able to discern a different perspective, the more easily we can see our own biases. And that means we have a better chance to listen and truly understand another's frame of reference. So keep in mind that how you see the world is often a matter of choices, and of course the attitude you filter them through.
No comments:
Post a Comment