Review of Identity Thief (2013) by Greatmartin — 08 Feb 2013

The two redeeming features in the movie “Identity Thief” are Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy trying to make a stupid movie funny out of every cliche ever heard/seen before in a supposed ‘comedy’. Aside from Paul Rudd Bateman is the best ‘straight’ man in movies today and, in addition, is clean shaven which is quite different for an actor in the films today.

What is there to say about Melissa McCarthy except that it looks like she is being typecast as the raunchy plus size woman in movies when she, obviously, has so much more to offer as an actress.

This is an ‘odd couple’ road trip movie with a screenplay by Craig Mazin who hasn’t met a line in any road trip movie that he doesn’t use. He has the two stars beating up each other, running from killers, getting into car races, and crashes, walking away as if nothing had happened. He puts a man and woman in the trunk of a car and nothing does happen. Add to this a director, Seth Gordon, who seems to have attention deficient disorder and is afraid to have the camera on a scene more than a minute or two. What could and should be a funny sex scene has to be the dumbest and lest comic scenic ever put on film not to mention very insulting to overweight people.

The subject of identity theft is a serious one but can still offer humourous moments and “Identity Thief” has talented actors who could handle both sides of the problem but aren’t given anything to work with.

Amanda Peet, John Cho and Morris Chestnut offer good supporting performances while Eric Stonestreet forgot to leave Cameron from “Modern Family” off the set and doesn’t do himself any good here.

Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy and the movie audience deserve a lot better than this.