Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: Identity Thief

Friday, February 8, 2013

Identity Thief - Review

Identity Thief
(2013 - February 8)
1 hr 51 min

Rated: R Sexual Content and Language. Be prepared for lots of crass sexual innuendos, an abundance of vulgarity and swearing (including repetitious "f---k" and "s--t") and some humorless racist jokes. Read more.
Grade: C

Director: Seth Gordon
Writers: Craig Mazin (screenplay and story), Jerry Eeten (story)
Stars: Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, John Cho | See full cast and crew

An accounts representative, Sandy Bigelow Patterson (Jason Bateman - Arrested Development, Horrible Bosses) is a Denver family man who has always been responsible with his personal finances is shocked to learn that his credit score is in shambles. If he can't clear his name in a week he will loose his new dream job and that bad score will haunt him to the day he dies. The professional thief, Diana/Sandy Bigelow Patterson (Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids) has staked her claim to his name and is living a life of luxury, joyously racking up charges while on a massive spending spree. A little luck and a little detective work leads Sandy to Winter Park, FL, where Diana/Sandy is actively spending him into oblivion. When the Denver 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, for Sandy, this wily fraudster isn't going give up without a fight and the 2000 mile journey is going to be a struggle every step of the way.

Had they sanitized the entire movie as well as they did the trailers this could have been a funny, albeit bawdy, comedy. Unfortunately writers and director, felt the need to pepper the script with crude and vulgar language, jokes and sight gags. The two leads, Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy, ate no strangers to foul language and racy scripts. Bateman, in fact, is one of the producers. The trailer boasts that the film is from the producers that brought you Ted (2012 - June 29) , that alone speaks volumes regarding 'good taste', or the lack thereof.

This film could have been a comedy that the entire family could enjoy together and reached a much broader audience but as is...even the star power of Bateman and McCarthy that is thrown at the screen can't save this uneven and frequently violent 'Road Trip'. Granted, Bateman and McCarthy do have an unusual chemistry between them that keeps Identity Thief from becoming a total train wreck. Their screen presence and chemistry are good enough that they may be able to get you to forget all the stupidity of the script and its improbabilities long enough to enjoy the ride. They may even be able to draw you in in enough to sympathize with their personal plight and sucker you into rooting for them as the movie trudges along to its all too predicable ending. If so, enjoy.

Without all the vulgarity and profanity I would have enjoyed it for the light, farcical romp that it should be. As is, Identity Thief is a very crude, formulaic, predictable and forgettable film.