Review of Identity Thief (2013) by Andy N — 26 Sep 2013

Remember Planes, Trains, & Automobiles? Remember how that was about a fat annoying guy with a sad backstory that the whole movie was just misunderstood. Remember how John Candy was paired with the very excellent straight man, Steve Martin and together they went on a kooky road trip full of laughs? Identity Thief attempts the same thing--only it's not nearly as funny.

Bateman plays his usual self and McCarthy is her usual 110% self. She goes all out for comedy. This makes for some funny scenes, but here's the problem. She's a terrible person right from the get go.

She steals identities and robs them blind. Bateman's character is a guy with a family and kids and he's trying to pay his bills. McCarthy ruins all of that and gets him arrested. She's not a likeable character.

Even when her sad backstory is finally revealed, it still allows for little to no sympathy for the character. This isn't a person who's lost their significant other and is depressed and loud--this is a criminal who's very despicable and sad and pathetic and supposedly is somehow likeable and loveable.

Unfortunately the movie doesn't attempt to make her character likeable. You either are just supposed to think the antics are funny or you're left pondering why someone could think this was funny.

On occasion there's a funny throat punch here or there, but for the most part Identity Thief just misses every comedic moment that it strives to achieve.