You remember 2004, right? The year of low-rise jeans, Motorola Razrs, and that weirdly intense era of psychological thrillers that tried so hard to be the next Se7en. Sitting right in the middle of that obsession was Taking Lives, the Ethan Hawke and Angelina Jolie movie that basically redefined the "don't trust anyone" trope for a whole generation of cable TV viewers.
Honestly, if you catch it on a rainy Sunday afternoon now, it still holds up in that gritty, slightly damp way only mid-2000s thrillers can. It’s got everything: French-Canadian accents, Angelina Jolie lying in open graves for "vibes," and Ethan Hawke playing a guy who is either a victim or a total creep. Spoiler: he's both.
The Plot That Kept Us Guessing (Kinda)
Basically, the movie follows Illeana Scott, an FBI profiler played by Jolie. She’s called up to Montreal because there’s a serial killer on the loose. But this isn't your garden-variety slasher. This guy is a "life-taker." He kills people, then literally lives as them for a few months. He pays their bills, eats their food, and uses their credit cards until he gets bored and finds a new "shell."
It’s a cool concept.
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Then enter Ethan Hawke as James Costa. He’s an art dealer who supposedly witnessed one of the murders. He’s vulnerable, he’s charming in that scruffy 2000s way, and naturally, Illeana breaks the cardinal rule of profiling: she falls for the witness.
Why it actually worked
- The Vibe: Director D.J. Caruso used Montreal perfectly. It looks cold, old, and secretive.
- The Twist: Without giving too much away for the three people who haven't seen it, the mid-movie reveal is a genuine "wait, what?" moment.
- The Chemistry: People talk about the sex scene a lot—it was pretty scandalous for a mainstream thriller back then—but the actual tension between Jolie and Hawke is what drives the first hour.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
There’s this common complaint that the ending of Taking Lives is "preposterous." And yeah, objectively, it sort of is. Scott ends up living in a remote farmhouse, seven months pregnant with the killer's twins, waiting for him to show up so she can get her revenge.
But here’s the thing people miss: it wasn't just a random showdown. It was a meticulously planned "long con."
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The prosthetic belly? The fake life? It was all bait.
Critics like Roger Ebert actually gave it a decent shake (three stars!), noting that while the ending is over-the-top, it’s stylish enough to pull you along. It’s not trying to be a documentary on FBI procedures. It’s a noir-soaked fever dream about identity.
Behind the Scenes: The Cast You Forgot Were There
We all remember the leads, but the supporting cast is actually insane. You’ve got a young Paul Dano playing the teenage version of the killer in the opening scene. He’s creepy as hell, obviously. Dano has always been great at being unsettling.
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Then you have Kiefer Sutherland as a red herring named Hart. He’s barely in the movie, but he brings that 24 energy that makes you think he’s the big bad. Plus, Gena Rowlands shows up as the killer's mother. Her scene in the elevator? Pure nightmare fuel.
The movie was loosely based on a 1999 novel by Michael Pye, but the filmmakers changed a ton. In the book, Jolie’s character doesn't even exist. Can you imagine this movie without the Illeana Scott / James Costa dynamic? It would’ve been a much drier, more clinical story. Adding the romantic tension was a classic Hollywood move, but it gave the film the "Discover" factor it needed.
Why We’re Still Talking About It
Identity theft is a huge deal now, but in 2004, the idea of someone "taking your life" was more of a psychological horror concept than a digital one. This Taking Lives movie tapped into that primal fear of being replaced.
If you're looking to revisit this era of cinema, there are a few things you should do to get the full experience:
- Watch the Unrated Director’s Cut: It adds a few minutes of character beats and a bit more grit to the crime scenes.
- Pay Attention to the Opening: The 1983 flashback with Paul Dano is arguably the best part of the film. It sets a tone the rest of the movie struggles to keep up with, but it’s masterfully done.
- Check Out the Soundtrack: Philip Glass did the score. Yes, that Philip Glass. It’s repetitive and haunting and way more sophisticated than your average thriller music.
Next time you're scrolling through a streaming service and see those two famous faces on the thumbnail, give it a rewatch. It’s a time capsule of a specific moment in Hollywood history when stars were huge, budgets were mid-range, and the twists were meant to be talked about at the water cooler the next morning. It's not perfect, but it sure is memorable.