Synopsis
An
accounts representative embarks on a frantic quest to reclaim his identity from
the Orlando thief who stole it and destroyed his credit by embarking on a
massive spending spree in this comedy starring Jason Bateman (Arrested
Development, Horrible Bosses) and Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids). Sandy Bigelow
Patterson (Bateman) has a problem. A Denver family man who's always been
responsible with his personal finances, he is shocked to learn that his credit
score is in shambles. But it gets worse -- if he can't clear his name in a
week, the mix-up could very well cost him his job. Fortunately Sandy is in
luck; after the unrepentant Florida fraudster (McCarthy) who stole his identity
causes a stir in a club and misses her court date, Sandy is arrested and
promptly released when detectives request a mug shot, and realize their
mistake. When the police refuse to offer any help, Sandy realizes that his only
choice is to catch the imposter himself and bring her back to Denver to face
justice. Unfortunately, this wily thief isn't going down without a fight, and
with a grizzled skip tracer (Robert Patrick) and a pair of vicious gangsters
(Génesis RodrÃguez and T.I.) determined to get the fake Sandy first, every step
along the way will be a struggle. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Cast
- Jason Bateman as Sandy
- Melissa McCarthy as Diana
- Jon Favreau as Harold
- John Cho as Daniel
- Morris Chestnut as Reilly
- Amanda Peet as Trish
- Robert Patrick as Skiptracer
- Genesis Rodriguez as Marisol
Directed by : Seth Gordon
Written by :
Craig Mazin
Comedy,
Crime
Rated R for sexual
content and language
Released Date: February, 8
2013
Movie Review
It's really tough to have it both
ways.
Let's say you want to do a broad,
shtick-filled comedy filled with "Three Stooges" humor, e.g., a
character is hit head-on by a speeding car, tumbles over the roof, lands with a
cringe-inducing thud on the highway — and suffers nary a scratch or even a
hairline fracture. The stuff of cartoons.
Now let's say you want to do an
unapologetically sentimental character study in which one character with tears
streaming down her face reveals the childhood source of all her emotional pain.
The stuff of heavy drama.
"Identity Thief" gives us
both of the aforementioned scenes — and while each set piece is executed with
professionalism by the filmmakers and the actors (and stunt humans) involved,
neither is particularly effective. The car accident comedy doesn't work because
by that point, we've grown weary of the violent, consequence-free humor. Then
the big reveal scene doesn't work because the movie has just spent 90 minutes
telling us these people are cartoons.
Such is the identity crisis suffered
by "Identity Thief." It wants to be "Midnight Run" meets
"Planes, Trains and Automobiles," but it carries little of the
dramatic heft and real-world semi-plausibility of those much superior efforts.
The pairing of Jason Bateman and
Melissa McCarthy in a road trip comedy seems inspired. They're two unique
comedic talents who always put an interesting spin on a line or a double take,
whether starring in sitcoms or effortlessly swiping scenes in big-screen fare.
Unfortunately, "Identity Thief" is a depressingly predictable
road-trip buddy comedy that's far more interested in car chases, lame
shootouts, physical shtick and cheap schmaltz than creating anything original.
Bateman plays Sandy Patterson, a
40-ish account executive for a financial firm who's underappreciated at work
but finds comfort in the loving arms of his wife (the always-welcome Amanda
Peet) and two adoring daughters. Given his gender-neutral name by a father who
was a huge fan of baseball great Sandy Koufax, Sandy becomes the latest
identity thief target of Diana (Melissa McCarthy), who must be the least subtle
ID thief in North America.
Diana favors outfits so loud they
scream, stocks her house like it's a Target store (there's even stuff on the
front lawn), keeps all her phony IDs as souvenirs and goes on massive drinking
and spending sprees every time she assumes a new identity. How has she not been
caught, like, a thousand times?
Thanks to an idiotic premise
involving Jon Favreau as the world's worst boss, Morris Chestnut as Denver's
dumbest cop and John Cho as the world's worst friend, it's up to Sandy to make
his way to Florida, capture Diana and bring her to Colorado. Then it's up to
the screenwriter to find ways to keep Sandy and Diana on the road together for
a series of wacky escapades, when all Sandy has to do is pick up a phone, dial
the authorities and say, "Hey, you know that woman who stole my identity
and has committed hundreds of felonies? Got her!"
Bateman and McCarthy have their
moments of witty banter, but most of the time they're beating the Stooges out
of each other or escaping a bounty hunter AND a couple of assassins. McCarthy
does have that one aforementioned dramatic scene and she hits it out of the
park — but even that moment is telegraphed a half-dozen times. Whether it's
aiming for cringe-inducing laughs or trying to score the big emotional payoff,
"Identity Thief" is a cheap copy of much better comedies. Here's
hoping someone finds a much better vehicle for these terrifically talented
actors.
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