“Identity Thief” proves Melissa McCarthy has more than enough ability to carry the weight of a movie on her shoulders. Now, if we could only find one worth her while.
Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman star in this rather fracking-frustrating movie which starts off with Diana (McCarthy) on the phone with Sandy Patterson (Bateman) impersonating a fraud protection agency and collects all necessary information from Sandy in order to successfully steal his identity.
This scene follows with Diana buying rounds of drinks for everyone in a crowded bar. Outstanding inappropriate behavior soon follows with vomiting into a Breathalyzer, which recaps why we treasured her so much in “Bridesmaids”.
The movie continues with borderline appropriate comedy with Bateman having to leave his hometown in Denver, Colorado to Winter Park, Florida in hopes of catching Diana and restore his credit rating, job and life.
Director Seth Gordon (“Horrible Bosses”) and screenwriter Craig Mazin (“Hangover Part II’) tend to have a free for all stretching the boundary of comedy with a uncomfortable streak of emasculation and continuing issues too ridiculous to mention or keep track of.
Most viewers would consider this movie to be hand me down of “Hangover Part II” more so than a potential original classic. However, if you’re in the mood for some short, consistent laughs during a “it would never happen this way” movie, then “Identity Thief” is for you.
The movie can be enjoyable to viewers with an open mind and those who don’t mind an extremely rare cooked steak where the cook didn’t even take the time to marinate the steak or dish up any sides of salad or mash potatoes.