Identity Review
by Robin Clifford (robin AT reelingreviews DOT com)May 12th, 2003
"Identity"
It is a dark and stormy night as ten disparate people converge on an isolated, nearly abandoned motel as torrential rain and rising floodwaters trap them all without phone or radio contact to the outside world. When, one by one, the group of adventurers is being murdered by some evil that has descended upon them, it is up to the survivors to find and stop the killer in "Identity."
This slick production under the helm of James Mangold is Agatha Christies "Ten Little Indians" mixed with Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho." When a troubled family, the Yorks, pull off the road because of car problems, a terrible accident occurs as the mother mistakenly steps into the road and onto the hood of a speeding limo being driven by Ed (John Cusack). He was trying to get his passenger, a moody, nasty prima Dona actress (Rebecca DeMornay) to her destination. Now, he is stuck with her, the badly battered woman, her husband (John C. McGinely) and their sensitive son Timmy (Bret Loehr).
As this group descends upon the Motel, run by Larry (John Hawkes), a sleazy little guy, others are also forced to seek shelter there. Officer Rhodes (Ray Liota) is transporting a convict (Gary Busey). Ex-call girl Paris (Amanda Peet), is trying to get to Florida to change her life. A pair of unhappy newly weds (Clea Duvall and William Lee Scott) is trying to get home after their shotgun Vegas wedding. One by one they start to fall victim to an unseen killer in their midst.
The original screenplay by Michael Cooney is derivative but has a lot of energy as inventive ways are found to keep the body count climbing. There are all the requisite twists and turns as one suspect after another are trotted out for the viewer to examine. (I did note, early in the film, who the killer is but there are enough maggufins along the way to make you change your mind several times.
The actors are not given much to do except, for most, to be fodder for the murderer, whoever it is. Cusak, as Ed, is the everyman character that anchors the story with his repeated proclamations that he used to be a cop as they try to find the killer. Ray Liota as corrections officer Rhodes is obviously hiding something as he transports his prisoner, Busey. The troubled York family is having problems and their kid is sinister. Amanda Peet, an ex-call girl, is leaving one life and hopes to make a better on growing oranges in Florida. Clea Duvall and William Lee Scott form a pair of obviously unhappy people. Rebecca DeMornay as the bitchy actress Caroline Suzanne is so selfish you root for her to be one of the first to get it. John Hawkes is shifty and up to something (we know) as Larry the Motel guy.
Tech values are up there with production designer Mark Fieldberg creating an eerie world in the Motel. The locale and the omnipresent and oppressive rain are almost characters in the play. The dark, moody photography by Phedon Papamichael is punctuated, usually at the appropriate, scary time, with flashes of lightning and the roll of thunder. James Mangold ties it all together efficiently and with style.
There is nothing new to "Identity" but it works as a "10 Little Indians" clone. I give it a B-.
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