IDENTITY (2003)
a review by Evan Landon
In 2003, my mom and I went to go see this movie in the theater not knowing a thing about it, except that it was a mystery crime thriller.
What was a big deal to me was that the trailer gave you very little information and gave nothing away except for the premise: ten strangers find themselves in a rundown motel in the Nevada desert at night and in the middle of a storm: an ex-cop turned limo driver; his passenger, a Hollywood actress; a cop transporting a convicted murderer; a Vegas sex worker; a newlywed couple; a family consisting of a mother (who was hit by the limo driver and is dying), the father, and son; and the man running the motel. One-by-one, all of the characters are killed off, just like in Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None to which served as an inspiration for this film and has had its own issues with the title. Twice, in fact. If you want, go ahead and look that one up, but don't say I didn't warn you!
What I find wonderful about this movie, is that it all takes place in one location, for the most part, which is always a difficult thing to pull off. The set of the motel itself was created and filmed on Studio 27 for Sony Pictures, the very same that Wizard of Oz was filmed on. Producer Cathy Konrad had first let her husband, James Mangold, read the screenplay by Michael Cooney, who immediately wanted to direct it. As for underscoring, they tapped Angelo Badalamenti, but was replaced by Academy Award-winning composer, Alan Silvestri, giving it a very ominous tone that works on many different levels.
The casting is top notch too: John Cusack is amazing as the limo driver/ex-cop who brings a certain gravitas to the film, also serving as the main protagonist. Ray Liotta (R.I.P) gives the film a volatile element, as the cop transporting Jake Busey's character to another prison. Amanda Peet pulls most of it together, portraying the sex worker, who is quite possibly the most wholesome character. John Hawkes plays the motel manager, who has had a very good career this past decades with a lot of great indie films. John C. McGinley, Clea DuVall, Alfred Molina, and Rebecca DeMornay round out the cast that makes it easy to identify with every character. They are all fantastic.
As far as the writing goes, I think the strength of the characters is a bit weak, in the beginning. However, once the third act unfolds, it makes a lot more sense why they lacked a certain depth. I won't ruin that for you because you should definitely check this gem out.
Raking in $90 million worldwide against a $28 million budget, this flick was definitely a well-deserved success. I could watch this one over and over again and still pick up easter eggs that fly under the radar. This is how you make a taught thriller.
4 out of 5