Review of Identity (2003) by Ben L — 10 Aug 2017

Talking about Identity without giving spoilers is like trying to walk safely through a minefield, but I'll do my best. There are boatloads of twists and turns in the plot. Many of them I guessed before they were revealed, but I was never sure until they gave it away. It's a well-constructed narrative that puzzles you and yet makes some sense when you know everything. There are parts that aren't even told in a linear fashion which adds to the intrigue. It's definitely the kind of thriller that I enjoy a lot.

John Cusack is always one of my favorite actors as the every-man and audience surrogate. I loved what he did in Identity. Ray Liotta brings his perfect brand of tough guy attitude and that adds a lot to the film as well. The other standout for me was John Hawkes whose face I recognize but I don't know if I've ever seen him do this much to develop a role. Amanda Peet has never been one of my favorite actresses. I simply don't buy her in the role and she needed to be a stronger presence in the film.

I think there is some stretching of reality for this film. I mean there was simply an element that won't hold up if you put too much thought into it. I went with it all, and just accepted it as movie logic. Also of note in Identity is the score. I'm not typically someone who notices the score all that much, but for some reason Alan Silvestri's work made an impression here. It did a great job of setting tone. This is an excellent mystery thriller with a well-crafted script and a solid cast, so I'd definitely recommend it to others.