Identity

An ingenious take on the slasher movie, it aspires to be much more and succeeds. John Cusack is his usual stellar self as a mysterious limo driver who winds up in a Bates Motel-like location with a crew of what seem to be typical horror movie stereotypes. That is, until a big twist reveals nothing is as it seems. Director James Mangold (Copland) proves an excellent auteur of scares, and the performances are first rate. Amanda Peet does some of her best work yet as a hooker (will somebody cast this talented actress as something other than a hooker?) and Ray Liotta delivers another great character as a mysterious cop. Cusack’s presence alone suggests the movie will be more than your routine horror flick, and he doesn’t disappoint. He also spends much of the movie in a trench coat, not unlike his Say Anything garment of choice. What’s cooler than that?