Mayday, Mayday, Mayday!

Rating: 8/10 (21 August 2010)

Herein, "Ten strangers with secrets are brought together in a savage rainstorm," as described on the DVD sleeve, they are, "A limo driver (John Cusack), an '80s TV star (Rebecca DeMornay), a cop (Ray Liotta) transporting a killer (Jake Busey), a call girl (Amanda Peet), a pair of newlyweds (Clea DuVall and William Lee Scott) and a family in crisis (John C. McGinley, Leila Kenzle, Bret Loehr)." Due to the torrential downpour, these "Ten Little Indians" must take shelter at a Nevada motel resembling the one in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" and run by twitchy manager Larry Washington (John Hawkes).
"Identity" is an imaginative and thoughtful updating of tried and true suspense formulas. You'll want to see it in "widescreen" but will also be given the choice of two viewing options - the "theatrical" and "extended" versions are offered as options. My advice is to see it in "theatrical" first, although "extended" will be tempting. The film is enjoyable on several levels, and the "extended" version will be more fun during a second viewing, when you're examining plot points, performances, and production style. The "extended" version includes a scene that implicitly gives too much information, due to its placement.
A terrific "motel set" was built for the picture, and is fantastically detailed. Production designer Mark Friedberg, art director Jess Gonchor, and set decorator Cindy Carr should have been nominated for "Academy Awards". The broken tiles, drain pipes, 8-tracks, and jigsaw puzzles are among the thousands of parts assembled for the décor of "Identity" and its crowded psychosis. Director James Mangold and cinematographer Phedon Papamichael make Michael Cooney's story look brilliant, complimented by great editing from David Brenner and music by Alan Silvestri. The ensemble cast is a great character study.
******** Identity (4/25/03) James Mangold ~ John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes