Was Dean Keeton truly a 'good man' trying to reform, or a more cunning con artist who even deceived himself? In his final gaze at 'Verbal', was it shock, sudden realization, or a kind of 'so that's how it is' relief?

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Ha, that question hits the nail on the head. This is arguably the greatest charm of The Usual Suspects and the topic fans relish discussing the most. The character Dean Keaton is like a multifaceted object; viewed from different angles, you arrive at completely different conclusions.

Let me share my perspective to help you better understand this character.

Keaton: A Bad Guy Trying to Go Straight, or a More Skilled Actor?

Simply put, he is both, but ultimately, he is merely a pawn played by fate and a stronger player.

1. The "I Want to Be Good" Side

The film spends considerable effort building Keaton's image as someone trying to "go straight," and the evidence is compelling:

His Love: His relationship with lawyer Edie Finneran appears deeply genuine. His desire to open a restaurant and live a normal life seems entirely motivated by Edie. This is the most "human," most vulnerable part of him.
His Resistance: When the five-man crew is first assembled, Keaton is the first to say, "I'm out." He shows extreme aversion and impatience towards returning to crime, as if his past criminal life is a nightmare he's desperate to escape.
His Anger and Helplessness: Throughout the story, Keaton often displays anger at being dragged back in. He seems to passively accept situations, then uses his old expertise to solve problems, but it's not what he wants.

If we only look at this, Keaton is a classic tragic hero: a man trying to reform, relentlessly haunted by his past, ultimately unable to escape his fate.

2. The "Once a Con Man, Always a Con Man" Side

But looking at it the other way, things aren't so simple. Remember, almost everything we see about Keaton "wanting to be good" comes entirely from the narration of "Verbal" Kint (who is Keyser Söze himself).

The Natural Leader: Would someone truly wanting to leave the life immediately step up to plan, command, and fix things when the team hits trouble? Keaton almost effortlessly resumes his role as the team's brain and leader. This shows criminal thinking and methods are ingrained in his bones.
The Masterful Disguise: Could his "reformation" itself be an act? An experienced former dirty cop knows how to play the role the police want to see. His desire to open a restaurant might just be his next designed "identity." He might even believe it himself – that's the highest form of con: fooling everyone, including yourself.
Keyser Söze's "Tool": In Keyser Söze's script, he needed a perfect "protagonist" to draw all the police attention. Keaton was the ideal candidate: a criminal record, high competence, and a (seemingly) clear motive. Söze crafted Keaton into a flesh-and-blood, struggling tragic figure, making the whole story sound utterly believable and causing Detective Dave Kujan to focus entirely on him, overlooking the limping "minor character" in the corner.

My view is: Keaton's desire to be good was real, but it was fragile. He's like a long-term alcoholic who genuinely wants to quit, but if someone hands him a drink, he'll take it without hesitation. His nature is that of a criminal, a planner. He craves a normal life, but when the opportunity for crime arises, the excitement and desire for control ingrained in him overwhelm everything. He is not purely good, nor purely a con man; he is a gray character struggling between black and white, but ultimately always tipping towards black.

What Did His Final Look at "Verbal" Really Mean?

This is the film's masterstroke – a single glance conveying a thousand words. I believe this look is layered and progressive, containing the following emotions:

Shock and Disbelief: This is the first reaction. "How could it be you?!" In Keaton's eyes, "Verbal" was always an insignificant, timid, even somewhat pitiful sidekick. How could he be the elusive, ruthless Keyser Söze? It completely shatters his perception, like discovering the gentlest house cat is actually a tiger.
Realization: After the shock comes instant clarity. In a flash, he pieces everything together: why the five of them were inexplicably brought together, why every step felt preordained, why there always seemed to be an invisible hand pulling the strings. He understands he was merely a pawn on someone else's chessboard from start to finish – a pawn who thought he was the player. All the mysteries find their answer in this moment.
Resignation & a Hint of Respect ("So that's how it is"): This is the deepest and most intriguing layer. As a top-tier planner and con man, Keaton spent his life manipulating others. But in his final moments, he realizes he encountered a "godlike" opponent, the ultimate puppeteer playing everyone.

The feeling is less fear and more a kind of "defeat with genuine acceptance." Like a master chess player checkmated by a brilliant move, he no longer sees win or loss, but the sheer beauty and intelligence of that move. Keaton's glance likely holds a hint of "admiration" for this ultimate con, and a final acceptance of his fate – "Alright, game over. I lost."

So, that look is the complex expression of an intelligent man seeing the entire game clearly just before death. He sees the true "devil" he always overlooked, and he sees his own pitiful, laughable fate.

In conclusion, the reason Dean Keaton is such a classic character lies in his ambiguity. And that final glance provides the perfect, endlessly resonant punctuation to a story saturated with lies and deception.