Highly inventive film

Rating: 9/10 (11 September 2003)

"Identity" is a well-crafted film and a wonderful addition to the genre. When the film came out in April, I avoided it because I associated director James Mangold with such films as "Kate and Leopold" and "Girl Interrupted." So it was a surprise to find a fine psychological thriller in the Hitchcockian tradition. There are a lot of twists, turn and red herrings. In the Starz! feature on the DVD, John Cusak says that the characters are moved around as if on a chessboard, which is true. It's one of the best films of 2003. Cusak and Ray Liotta are fantastic; the former has that dark, intellectual stuff down while the latter is the dark, dangerous explosive type. I love them both and it's great to see such cinematic heavyweights working together. If you skipped this one out, rent it. Better yet get the DVD and take in some of the extras.