Better Mystery: LA Confidential vs. Memento vs. The Usual Suspects

Out of these 3 classics, which mystery do you prefer?

I prefer Memento. Memento is one of my all time favorite films because the story and plot are very well thought and deep, its a very unique and well directed film, and i loved Guy Pearce's performance.

Dont get me wrong, i love LAC and TUS, and they are 2 of my favorite mysteries, i am just a huge fan of Memento

for me it's Memento too ! I just love the performance of Guy Pearce and the ending is very great

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Memento > LA Confidential >>> The Usual Suspects

LA Confidential holds up best for me on repeat viewings. Memento was clever and had a great lead performance, but as a film it's a bit too self-contained and one-note. Usual Suspects was absorbing on first viewing with colorful ensemble acting but on rewatches feels more and more dissatisfyingly "shaggy dog"...

Overall I find LAC to be the most pleasingly varied and nuanced in terms of characterization and dialogue. It's more immediately accessible, visually and aurally rich, not altogether grimly noirish but having a lighter touch which IMO only accentuates the immorality and amorality of its darker scenes/moments. Yet that accessibility doesn't mean it lacks depth, and its dashes of humor are natural, emerging organically from its characters and situations being in context. The characters are flawed without it feeling too much like plot contrivance and while it may not have quite the "wow" factor in concept or twists as Memento or TUS, LAC's execution is far more entertaining in the classic sense and ultimately feels like a more satisfying journey through its story and more satisfyingly concluded.

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Deadite, you hit it right on the head, L.A. Confidential for me by far. The Usual Suspects starts with some good momentum, but I always find myself slipping away (shaggy dog, exactly), which doesn't happen in LAC.
I find the story-telling in LAC to be much crisper than the other 2, and as they all have surprises and turnarounds, LAC's are so much tastier.

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1) L.A. Confidential
2) The Usual Suspects
3) Memento

I like the first two very much, but ultimately I think L.A. Confidential is the better film, because it's more than just a "one trick pony" so to speak. It's a very rich film with lots of interesting subplots and characters and it just has a better rewatchability factor.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE The Usual Suspects and Memento is a solid enough film, but there's more to L.A. Confidential than just a good twist. It's an old-fashioned neo-noir mystery genre piece and the film just breathes ambition (which I always like). It's grand, it's fabulous and it's just a lot of fun to watch. It's full with memorable moments, while the other two films are both pretty much building to one big climax. The Usual Suspects also has a few other positives besides its cool twist, like its style, its characters, etc., but it's much more centered around its big "turn around" than L.A. Confidential is.

Again, The Usual Suspects and L.A. Confidential are both favorites, but personally I'm a fan of "more is more" in films. I tend to be a bigger fan of movies that are eventful, in stead of films that are mainly focused on one specific thing and don't take the time to drift away a little bit from the main plot to create atmosphere and "space". The Usual Suspects definitely has some of that, but not nearly as much as L.A. Confidential.

Deadlite pretty much nailed it when he called Memento "a bit too self-contained and one-note". That doesn't mean it can't be a fun or meaningful movie experience, but how clever it may be, it does make the film a little more tedious on rewatches, IN MY OPINION.

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I like Memento more than The Usual Suspects. I liked Kevin Spacey's performance in the role, but I can't say that I really loved the movie. I really dug Memento's plot and the performances that went with it. Along with The Prestige and The Dark Knight, it is one of the reasons that Nolan is one of my favorite directors.

L.A Confidential is my favorite and in my opinion the best of the three. It actually manages the feel,look and tone of a classic film-noir. It oozes atmosphere, and I can't forget to mention the outstanding script,great performances and pitch-perfect pacing. Its just a great,great film all around.

Memento comes in second place as it is an insanely challenging,almost diabolically confusing little film. It rewards patience, and it is one of Nolan's most impressive pieces. The Usual Suspects is the weakest of the three by far, although I still think it's quite good. I just happen to think it has 0 Rewatch value, as once you know "The Twist" there's not much use coming back to it again and again....

all three are good films though

LA Confidential holds up the best for me over time. Memento gets less interesting the more I watch it, and Carrie-Anne Moss is an actress I tend not to care for. I like The Usual Suspects a whole hell of a lot, but the technical aspects of that film, although very good, can't compare to LA Confidential. That's my order!

LA Confidential
The Usual Suspects
Memento

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Tough one, great choices.

Best overall performance in all of these was Spacey in Usual Suspects, but the most solid film was Confidential by far. Memento was the most original, but came across as less authentic than the other two (probably due to a lesser budget).

For mystery Ill say Usual Suspects. Confidentials whodunnit was solved halfway thru the film, and Memento was more of a psychological thriller than a mystery. On an aside I'd say Shutter Island was better than Memento, though both were great.

My favorite is The Usual Suspects just edging out LA Confidential. Memento is a little behind those 2 for me but still pretty awesome.

Question: when you ask which is the "Better Mystery," are you asking which film is the best, full stop, or which has the best mystery, specifically, apart from the other qualities of the film? Because I might give different answers depending on that.

I think LA Confidential is a flawless film. I thought Memento was a little on the pretentious side, but I liked The Usual Suspects.

1. Memento
2. Usual Suspects
3. LA Confidential
Memento is such an enjoyable and attention-holding film. Usual Suspects is a favorite of mine with one of my favorite actors, Kevin Spacey. LA Confidential is a solid film, but outmatched by the other two.


Edit: For a first time viewing though, I think I prefer The Usual Suspects to Memento.