Stealing credit card numbers is bad enough. But in director D.J. Caruso's new film, "identity theft" takes a morbid turn.

		''Taking Lives' RATING: R for strong violence including disturbing images, language and some sexuality. PLAYERS: Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke, Keifer Sutherland. DIRECTOR: D.J. Caruso.

The sociopath at the center of "Taking Lives" is so disenchanted with who he is that he takes the lives of random strangers and then takes their identities, living their lives as they might -- until he gets bored or nervous. Then he does it again. And again.

Based on the novel by Michael Pye, the edgy crime thriller is set in Montreal, where Old World charm clashes with the fast-paced dangers of modern life. When detectives are taunted by the recent appearance of a serial killer, they borrow a criminal profiler from the FBI. The special agent develops special feelings for a key witness, and her lack of objectivity threatens to jeopardize the case.

For the first half-hour, Caruso tries to deglamorize Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie, but it's hard to hide those bee-stung lips. Jolie plays the profiler stoically, as if she's heard every come-on line a hundred times and just wants to focus on her work.

The profiler has a gift for noticing and categorizing detail. Caruso turns it into a misleading game, lingering or zooming in on minutia that might or might not become a relevant clue. Once a prime suspect is identified, Caruso points the blame in multiple directions, intensifying the whodunit factor and satisfyingly stretching the tension to the very end. The Philip Glass score artificially pushes the tension at times. Caruso's quick cuts, jerky action sequences and around-the-corner shots do a better job of raising blood pressure.

Hollywood can't bear to cast a sexy star without flashing a little flesh. But "Taking Lives" takes a brave step forward by making the steamy sex scene relevant to the story.

Jolie doesn't do stoicism well. Once her character begins to show emotion, however, she's completely believable. It isn't made clear why her profiler is such a loner, and looking for answers that never materialize is a little distracting. In a challenging role, however, Jolie's confident, strong-willed character succumbs to her own flaws and attempts to rebound with a daring, painstaking ploy to beat the bad guy at his own game.

Ethan Hawke follows his character everywhere at once, contributing to the misdirection factor with an unforgettable performance. As Jolie's character evolves, Hawke's fidgety witness in some ways parallels her growth. They work equally well together in several distinctly different relationships. Lingering at the edge of the shadows works well for Kiefer Sutherland. He makes the most of his limited screen time in a vital role that keeps the audience guessing. French actor Olivier Martinez helps stoke the tension as a Montreal police detective who resists the FBI's offer to help. Almost no one in "Taking Lives" is free of suspicion, however, and the importance of supporting characters grows and fades as the drama intensifies.

Co-produced by Pittsburgher Bernie Goldmann, one of the money men behind "The Matrix," "Ocean's Eleven," "Miss Congeniality" and "Training Day," "Taking Lives" takes off from the first frames and never stops taking chances.