loading loading...

Identity Details

2003 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 29,952 members

IDENTITY, directed by James Mangold, is a thriller set at an isolated motel in rural Nevada during an unrelenting rainstorm. With all roads washed out and all forms of communication dead, a group of people become stranded at the motel along with the shifty manager (John Hawkes). Among the stranded are Ed (John Cusack), a former .. Read more

Starring John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina
Director James Mangold
Genres Thriller

loading loading...

Identity

IDENTITY, directed by James Mangold, is a thriller set at an isolated motel in rural Nevada during an unrelenting rainstorm. With all roads washed out and all forms of communication dead, a group of people become stranded at the motel along with the shifty manager (John Hawkes). Among the stranded are Ed (John Cusack), a former cop turned limo driver; Caroline (Rebecca De Mornay), a self-absorbed actress; Paris (Amanda Peet), a prostitute attempting to escape her profession; Rhodes (Ray Liotta), a cop transporting a prisoner (Jake Busey); Lou (William Lee Scott) and Ginny (Clea DuVall), bickering newlyweds; and George (John McGinley) and Alice (Leila Kenzle), a married couple travelling with their young son. Soon the waterlogged lodgers start dying in mysterious--and brutal--ways, and the increasingly dwindling number of survivors must discover the killer to prevent their own demises.
Riveting from the opening sequence, Mangold's suspenseful murder mystery wastes no time in turning on the tension. Realising that truly scary cinema comes from the unknown and the unexpected, Mangold and screenwriter Michael Cooney keep the audience--and the film's characters--in the dark and continually create situations that go from bad to worse for the luckless travellers. Cusack anchors the film as the resigned but noble former policeman, while Peet reveals a depth previously unseen in her other movies. Actors such as Liotta, McGinley, Hawkes, and De Mornay round out the fine ensemble cast. As with many thrillers, IDENTITY has a big twist, but because of the filmmakers' excellent slight of hand, it's unlikely viewers will predict the outcome.

Starring John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Jake Busey, Clea Duvall, Rebecca De Mornay
Director James Mangold
Studio SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 26 mins
Blu-ray: 1 hr 30 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Thriller
Language DVD: English
Blu-ray: English, English Audio Description
Hearing-impaired English
Released DVD: 12 Jan 2004
Blu-ray: 09 Apr 2007
Production year: 2003
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (3) of Identity

    View all
  • 3 stars out of 5

    In this slasher-influenced take on Ten Little Indians, a classy cast is stranded at a remote motel in the Nevada desert on the proverbial dark and stormy night (which of course means that the phone lines are down and contact with the outside world is impossible). Given that the place is suspiciously reminiscent of another roadside hostelry (proprietor: N Bates), it's no surprise when they find themselves being picked off one by one in increasingly bloody ways. As the potential victims include indie favourites John Cusack and Ray Liotta, you hope that this is going to be more than a TV-movie-style murder mystery in which the guest turns are offed according to Hollywood rank, with the highest paid actor remaining. For the most part it is — the shocks are well staged, there are flashes of wit and the performances are sly without being too tongue-in-cheek. Unfortunately, director James Mangold can't sustain the atmosphere in the face of increasingly outlandish plot twists and the final revelation is so wildly illogical as to be irritating.

    • Radio Times
  • 1 stars out of 4

    Smart thriller with a twist that enlivens the stock characters and situations of which it is made; the mood is hysterical and the direction embraces the style of horror movies.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • Most helpful member's review of Identity

    View all
  • 58 out of 60 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Hitchcock would be proud!

    A top cast lends to this very atmospheric thriller. It leaves you guessing to the very end and after. with some very shocking moments this is not one for the faint hearted but it will leave you on the edge of your seat. The setting is perfect and the stars are on top form, with a very clever script which sadly gets a little too complex and confusing for it's own good. Definately a choice for thriller fans! contains strong language.

      • Minty from Midlands
  • Most recent members' review of Identity

    View all
  • 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Genius Twist!

    This is an absolutely brilliant film, with a fantastic twist at the end- totally unguessable yet believalbe. I guarantee you'll love this film if you like clever films such as 'sixth sense' 'memento' etc. I cannot believe anyone would give this film a bad revew (they obviously didn't understand the amazing twist) Trust me.. Rent it! Then come back on this site and mark my review as helpful because im sure you'll agree with me :)

      • A customer from Hull
  • Image gallery

    View all
  • More like this

    View all

Rating breakdown

29,952 Member ratings
  • 100
2,036
  • 90
2,710
  • 80
4,916
  • 70
5,338
  • 60
6,180
  • 50
3,842
  • 40
2,282
  • 30
1,432
  • 20
807
  • 10
409

Related user collection

Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop


    • Identity - BLU-RAY Version
    • Blu-Ray: £9.93
      Free Delivery
    • RRP £17.79 (you save: 44%)
    • IDENTITY, directed by James Mangold, is a thriller set at an isolated motel in rural Nevada during an unrelenting rainstorm. With all roads washed out and all forms of communication dead, a group of ...

    • Identity
      IDENTITY, directed by James Mangold, is a thriller set at an isolated motel in rural Nevada during an unrelenting rainstorm. With all roads washed out and all forms of communication dead, a group of people become stranded at the motel along with the shifty manager (John Hawkes). Among the stranded ...