Identity is Mangold trying to do something of a Stephen King work, which has it's hits and misses

Rating: 5/10 (26 April 2003)

Identity has one of those spectacular starts to a suspense movie where a bunch of characters wind up in the same place due to a series of shattering, if overly-fantastic, set of circumstances. A family driving in the car gets a spare tire from a shoe on the road dropped by a woman, the mother steps out of the car and gets knocked by another car which has an ex-cop as the driver and the passenger as an actress. They go to a motel, where also a cop is transporting a prisoner. But then things start to happen...
The suspense works when the performances do, which is a good lot (maybe half) of the time thanks to the usual style of Cusack, Liotta, and even supporting players such as McGinley and Busey. Yet, the other half of the time, which makes up the third act, comes off as hokeyness. There is intrigue in what unfolds in the psychological aspect, but there's too much of a feeling of the story becoming convoluted. It's basically a try from the director of Copland and Girl, Interrupted, to try for a Stephen King type of story- the ending should remind viewers what I mean. Possibly worthy for a future night viewing when nothing else is on. C+