• Inspired by “The Usual Suspects” (1995) but not a copy, rip-off, or homage.
• The fact that this is a movie about somebody being questioned means that there’s more to it than meets the eye—that the man may not be what he seems, or the police may not be what they seem, or any combination of the two.
• There are too many similarities to “The Usual Suspects” for this film to completely leave from under the shadow of that famous movie—mainly, they both use the police interrogation of an apparently innocent man to frame a drama, and the main character has some similarities in both.
• “The Usual Suspects” was a glossy mental puzzle that gave little insight into its players, while “The Interview” takes us into the hearts of the two main characters. “The Interview” doesn’t have the same level of thrills as the other movie, but it has its own slow-burning intensity.
• The actor playing the accused in “The Interview,” Hugo Weaving, does an amazing job with his role, and it’s his performance that’s primarily responsible for engaging us from the first moments of the film. We see his eyes flash with all different types of emotions throughout the course of the dramatic interrogation.
• If you want to spend an evening watching a well-written and well-acted mystery, this Australian film will fit the bill. It’s not flashy or pulse-pounding and it doesn’t flaunt its cleverness like “The Usual Suspects,” but it will entertain you as long as you’re prepared for a slower, more in-depth character study than your typical thriller.

Not For Kids