Jon Cusack gives a no-holds barred performance as a cynical writer who is determined to disprove the existence of haunted places. Against the strong warnings of the manager of the posh Dolphin Hotel in New York City, he insists on staying the night in Room 1408, where 56 people have met their deaths over the years, some of them in most unpleasant manners. The film is mostly a one man show and Cusack is up to the challenge. As the time passes, his character is threatened, terrified, frozen, burned, and nearly drowned. This effective thriller was adapted from a short story by Stephen King.