Identity Thief: "We Can Do It The Hard Way Or The Easy Way"

Director: Seth Gordon
Writer:     Craig Mazin
                Jerry Eeten
Starring: Jason Bateman
                Melissa McCarthy
                Jon Favreau
                Amanda Peet
                T.I.
                John Cho
                Eric Stonestreet
Rating:    ***

Release Date: 22/03/2013

Here we have a film that features a superb supporting comedic cast, a fairly entertaining concept, and two of the funniest stars that are currently around. Unfortunately the finished product lacks a certain spark and energy. While Bateman and McCarthy are brilliant and make their scenes funny and bright, the overall effect is diminished by the uninspired direction. Scenes lack energy and vitality and take this high energy comedy and stamp it into the ground.

Melissa McCarthy & Jason Bateman

Sandy Patterson (Bateman) is a well-mannered, hard working and positive family man; he never offends and is trying to mkae his mark on the world, like most people around. Unfortunately in aother state there is a woman who lives a much livelier life than old Sandy. Diana (McCarthy) is a hard partying, fun loving, fraudulant woman who does what ever she can whenever she wants. Her latest victim of identity theft is poor Sandy Patterson, and when his life begins to crumble around him, thanks to Diana, he decides to go to her to set things straight. What actually happens when he finds her, is that after a few angry fights, they set off on a road trip back to Sandy's home town and find a bond and love for eachother. Sandy is now forced to decide whether he wants to hand her in to the police or not.

The film has funny moments, and I did genuinly laugh out loud on quite a few occasions, but when youre not watching hilarious sketches and funny set pieces, the rest of the film falls flat. To be perfectly honest I think the only thing that makes the funny parts enjoyable are Bateman and especially McCarthy. They breathe some life into the stale script, and McCarthy brings some real heart and emotion nearer the end of the film. The supporting cast do OK with what they have, but director Seth Gordon has failed to use each actor to their fullest potential, even Bateman and McCarthy don't get to unleash their fullest awesome-ness...and that is what is the biggest shame here. Go and see the film if you want a laugh, but don't expect to be blown away like you will have been in previous comedies released over the last couple of years.

 
Identity Thief - Trailer