One of the worst movies I've ever seen

It's one of the most original films you'll likely see all year, which, depending on your threshold for certifiably crazy storylines, could be a rewarding experience or one that frustrates you.

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

This is the case of a script that unfortunately leads to an "unbelievable" conclusion. Getting there is not much fun either, as the film plays like a minimal information puzzle. There are zero sympathetic characters, especially the unbearably wimpy husband. Since we never see the rape, which is motivation for the entire contrived plot, our housewife's revenge plan really is trivialized right from the git-go. The rapist himself is never even shown, until the moment of his demise. The entire production hinges on improbable events that simply cannot be swallowed as fact. So, what you have is a tedious build up to a conclusion that is not believable, and a movie that is not recommended. - MERK

Everything we know about "B movies" - lesser-known cast, low-budget, a made-on-the-cheap look and feel - is present, but we'll call this one a "B+" movie because it all works so well here. House wife Julie Kenner cannot function on any level; her cooking is a disaster, she can't face a party without panicking, she has a tenuous relationship with her 2 children and an even more tenuous one with her husband, with whom she hasn't had sex in a year. We have no idea what's wrong with her and wonder why her husband hasn't left her. Sure, she's beautiful and we are left to surmise this family was close once and could be again if the husband can just help Julie recover from whatever she's suffering from. She seems oblivious to everything except TV news broadcasts about identity theft, about the rape she suffered the previous year and about how the rapist is getting off with almost no jail time. Now that we know what's been bothering her we're wondering why she's forged a new identity, gotten herself a gun, rented an abysmal little apartment near a seedy little bar, taken up wearing a disguise and become a regular in said seedy little bar. Julie, who's been ice cold since this movie started, boffs the bartender one night then back at the bar pulls her piece out and shoots a young man dead - the man who raped her. She briefly returns to her family sans disguise then dons another one as she heads out alone on a bus as the closing credits roll.The way this tale unfolds, only giving us a little part of Julie at a time, is unique and tension builds so gradually we hardly realize it until we've been sucked in. Our dysfunctional heroine starts out uptight and introverted like a folded-up accordion, then starts to come alive as she turns into a walking mystery then a stalker and finally an avenger, as she murders the rapist who ruined her life and who society has refused to punish.This unusual story piques our interest, though the plot feels contrived and there are serious logical gaps, like how did Julie, once she took up her gun, disguise, apartment and new life as barfly, know the rapist would come to this bar? Another problem is the "bartender," who is actually an undercover police lieutenant. Why a police Lt. would be working full-time in this bar (don't sergeants and other lower-level officers do this undercover grunt work?) is never explained. Furthermore, Julie seems clairvoyant, as she used the cop/bartender, apparently knowing he'd let her commit murder right in front of him without even arresting her. Then there is that puzzling last scene, with Julie donning yet another disguise and taking off for God-knows-where on a bus all alone. All I can say is her poor husband! I've never seen a guy take so much crap from a wife, all the time supporting her to the hilt and all for nothing, as she seems to abandon her family at the end. Why did she leave like this, presumably without a word? Was she afraid that the police would eventually piece it all together and come looking for her? The logical gaps aside, this is an arresting (no pun intended) and riveting little flick. I found it in the bargain bin of a local video store almost 20 years ago and will no doubt watch it again some time.

This film's extremely low budget is evident onscreen, from the home-movie look of some scenes to the obvious inexperience of most of the cast. For what it's worth, however, auteur Andy Anderson did a lot with what little he had. Lead actress Stephanie Rascoe gives a strong performance; it comes as something of a surprise as one watches because she's not a typical movie star. She seems more like someone you'd meet at a PTA meeting, so it's that much more dramatic to see her enduring a brutal rape and then constructing a new identity in order to exact revenge. The rest of the cast is mostly one-timers and unknowns, though Steve Fromholtz had some renown as a folk singer and Laura (Lauren) Lane later became famous on "Hunter" and "The Nanny." It's the plot that's most interesting here, though it should be noted that it's much more difficult to assume a false identity nowadays, at least partially because of films like this one.

The promotional catch phrase for this film is "never assume anything." That is more appropriate than one can imagine: it also applies to the film industry itself! Some people have dismissed this film due to it's low budget, relatively unknown actors, and slow pace. Assuming you need big budgets and big stars doesn't guarantee a good film and one that will still remain in your memory for years to come. That said, Positive I.D. is proof that a good idea carefully constructed will surpass most other films again and again.Director/screenwriter Andy Anderson tells a compelling story without sensationalizing the topic of a rape. The film starts a year after the lead character's rape, and actress Stephanie Rascoe does a fine job in conveying her inability to overcome what has happened and her frustration that many around her can't understand why she just doesn't get on with her life. She then starts assuming another identity and the great thing about the story is that we are not clued in on her reasoning and scheme until the very end. Therein lies the slow pacing, but that's the beauty of this film--we are fascinated by her every move and NEED to stick with her through to the end! And what a satisfying payoff that is, too.As for the low budget, it actually gives the film a real feeling, like the viewer is right there as an observer in each scene--almost as if these lives were being documented. The same goes for the dialogue. Rascoe's creation of false identities by using actual means of legal loopholes is amazing to watch, and frightening because of the fact that people actually do this. On a trivia note Lauren Lane from TV's sitcom The Nanny plays a rather fun role as the neighbor, which will surprise fans of that show.Back in 1987 Positive I.D. was fortunately picked up by Universal and was given a wider release in theatres, helping it be discovered by a larger audience and notice from the critics, making several of their top ten lists for that year. Over the years it has survived by word of mouth and cable play, but now it can be a part of your collection since Anchor Bay has reissued it, and for true collectors its availability on DVD makes this a must-have title to own. See why an independent production like this from 1987 has held its own after all these years and is still revered by film buffs everywhere.