Identity

Director: James Mangold James Mangold

Overview

Ten strangers are brought together during a weather emergency, only to discover a far greater danger awaits them in this suspense-drama. A sudden rainstorm in a remote desert town strands a disparate variety of people at a rundown motel. A convict sentenced to death, Malcolm Rivers (Pruitt Taylor Vince), is stuck in transit with his lawyer (Alfred Molina). Ginny and Lou (Clea DuVall and William Lee Scott) are a not-especially-happy pair of young marrieds on their honeymoon. Ed (John Cusack) is a bright and resourceful chauffeur working for actress Caroline Suzanne (Rebecca De Mornay). George York (John C. McGinley) is a concerned husband trying to find help for his wife (Leila Kenzle, who was struck by Caroline's limo. Paris (Amanda Peet) is a prostitute who wants to move on to a better life. And Rhodes (Ray Liotta) is a police detective who has in his custody Robert Maine (Jake Busey), a dangerous and deranged criminal. As the rain pours down and motel manager Larry (John Hawkes) tries to care for his customers, one by one the unexpected guests begin losing their lives at the hands of a murderer. As the body count mounts, the stranded travelers struggle to find out who the killer is; however, they also learn each of them has a secret, and that their arrival at the motel has not been a matter of mere chance.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/14/2006
UPC:	0043396156562
Original Release:	2003
Source:	SUPER D INDEPENDENT DIST.
Language:	English
Time:	1:30:00
Sales rank:	26,091

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

John Cusack	Ed
Ray Liotta	Rhodes
Amanda Peet	Paris
John Hawkes	Larry
Clea DuVall	Ginny
John C. McGinley	George York
Jake Busey	Robert Maine
Rebecca De Mornay	Caroline Suzanne
William Lee Scott	Lou
Leila Kenzle	Alice York
Bret Loehr	Timmy York
Alfred Molina	Doctor
Pruitt Taylor Vince	Malcolm Rivers
Holmes Osborne	Judge
Carmen Argenziano	Defense Lawyer
Marshall Bell	District Attorney
Matt Letscher	Assistant District Attorney
Frederick Coffin	Detective Varole
Stuart Besser	Frozen Body,Frozen Body
Joe Hart	Bailiff Jenkins
Terence Bernie Hines	Bailiff
Michael Hirsch	Naked Businessman
Alan Silvestri	Composer
James Mangold	Actor

Technical Credits

Michael Cooney

James Mangold	Director
Michael Cooney	Screenwriter
Rick Avery	Stunts,Stunts
Lisa Beach	Casting
Stuart Besser	Executive Producer,Producer
Ron Bolanowski	Special Effects
Sarah Katzman	Casting
Cathy Konrad	Producer
Jessy Bender	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

There's a moment after one of the bigger of Identity's many twists, in which it seems as if the writers have dropped the ball, throwing in a cheap cop-out in lieu of an actual payoff. Luckily, a moment later, one begins to think that the development was more clever than cheap, and simply completely unexpected rather than a cop-out. By the end, after all is said and done, Identity proves itself to be one of the most original and fun thrillers in years. Writers James Mangold and Michael Cooney have crafted a script that is a smart blend of the old-fashioned whodunit and the modern B-slasher film. The execution of the resulting premise of a group of people mysteriously landing at the same motel, finding themselves killed off one-by-one is enough to make the film a winner. But as the story unfolds, it reveals itself to hold even more than meets the eye. As a director, Mangold lends the film an unsettling atmosphere that is half familiarity and half enigma. In addition, the ensemble cast is top-notch, pulling off characters that could have easily come across overly exaggerated and campy if handled incorrectly. Of course not everyone will stick it out past the aforementioned big twist, as some viewers will surely choose to pick apart some of the finer, peripheral details rather than suspend their disbelief a little. But for those who allow themselves to enjoy it for what it is, a refreshingly imaginative film that giddily toys with genres and audience expectations, Identity is sure to please.