Cusack stars in Hitchcock-esque 'Identity'

John Cusack must have had an identity crisis when starring in the new psychological thriller "Identity." Cusack is the male version of Meg Ryan (the attractive loner, who shouldn't, but always does find trouble getting a date). Cusack, however, has thrown aside his romantic comedy image for this new flick. Cusack plays Ed, a limo driver forced to stop at an eerie motel in the middle of a rainstorm. The scenery is akin to that of the Bates Motel popularized in Alfred Hitchcock's "Pyscho." But visitors to the inn have more to worry about than a crazy manager. Ed and nine other strangers find themselves being killed off one by one with no answers and nowhere to point a finger. With local roads flooded from the rainstorm, the 10 strangers can do nothing but hope the madness will end quickly. Their only solace is to find the reason they were all brought together. By digging further into the mystery killings, the strangers find they aren't so different after all. Any further plot explanation would be unfair with a story packed full of surprising twists, but audiences will find pleasure in this creepy storyline. Though not as eerie as "The Sixth Sense," the story develops into a strong thriller. Some parts of the story reach for further explanation, but this can be overlooked. The film's strength is its scenery. The constant rain and lonely motel setting are the perfect vehicles to deliver the story's effect. With such a large cast, the stronger actors' screen time seems hurt by the addition of minor characters. This movie comes off as one of the best thrillers in the past year. So just sit back and allow the crap to be scared out of you. "Identity" will be in theaters Friday. Grade: B-