It’s a film that feels like it ought to be remembered and seen again. I believe it's unjust that this movie seems so overlooked these days, though perhaps that’s because of the complicated storyline, full of flashbacks. I can see how that might be off-putting, but there are definitely other films out there that are more confusing and yet have remained popular. Regardless, it is a well-made film, featuring good actors and a story that's certainly intriguing. A small detail: the movie won both Oscars for which it was nominated—Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor. The story begins with a group of men, who appear to be chosen at random, being taken by police for a line-up. What initially seems straightforward isn’t what it appears; all of them were criminals known to the authorities, especially one man who was also a policeman and seemed to have left his life of crime behind to live an honest existence. Following this opening scene, the film focuses on the police's efforts to find those responsible for a shooting on a boat, which resulted in multiple deaths and only one survivor, who recounts everything that happened. I won’t say more because the script is best experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible. The performances are led by two excellent actors: Gabriel Byrne and Kevin Spacey. Each shines within their character, but both command attention whenever they appear, ultimately complementing each other; Spacey portrays a seemingly frail and ill man who would be an unlikely suspect, while Byrne embodies the stereotypical “tough guy.” I’m not sure if this is Spacey's finest work to date—maybe it’s too early to say—but it’s clear that his role here opened doors for him. Four years later, he received the Oscar for Best Actor for "American Beauty." Byrne, on the other hand, is one of those talented actors who never quite seemed to have his big break in cinema. I also want to acknowledge Pete Postlethwaite's solid performance, another impactful supporting role, two years after receiving his (so far only) Oscar nomination. From a technical standpoint, it’s worth recognizing Bryan Singer’s direction; he maintained the suspense and resisted the urge to include unnecessary loud action sequences. What makes the film so good is the tense atmosphere it creates, the mysterious way in which it unfolds its story—something that would have been lost if the director had filled it with random shootings and chases. Another aspect worthy of praise is the soundtrack, particularly the main theme used during the opening and closing credits, which perfectly sets the mood. The rest is fairly standard but without any significant flaws. My only real criticisms are about the graphics for the opening titles, which now seem very dated.

Source on TMDB