Such a fun film I kinda understand the hate but I could watch this so many times. I absolutely love the dialogue especially from Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy they're both delightful throughout! A bit ridiculous in some bits that shouldn't be so bad it's not an award worthy just glorious Seth Gordon greatness.
316 Reviews
Your credit card company is only a phone call away
StevePulaski10 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I have sympathy for Jason Bateman's Sandy Bigelow-Patterson for reasons other than he was victim to identity fraud. Being a male and having the name "Sandy" sets up a variety of jokes from socially childish people who have never seen a male with the unisex name of "Sandy." Had it not been for my sweet mother, I would've been "Michel Pulaski," rather than "Steven" because of my father's obsession with Canada and their hockey players and Quebec Nordiques-player Michel Goulet.
Other than that, that's about all the sympathy I have for the characters in Seth Gordon's Identity Thief. Overlong, underwritten, and tritely crafted, this is a perfect example of a comedy in the genre I call "maximum antics, minimum laughter." To qualify for the placement, you must subject a somewhat interesting premise to more grating physical schtick than the intelligently crafted kind, which centers around characters, wit, heart, substance, and wordplay.
As established, Bateman plays Sandy Bigelow-Patterson, a mild-mannered everyman, functioning aimlessly in the corporate world that leaves him stuck in the center of the ladder. He struggles not only with responsibility and a constant neglect in a pay raise, but with his wife (Amanda Peet) and two children, whose demands will soon become greater. The last thing Sandy needs is Diana (Melissa McCarthy), a portly, frantic, remorseless woman who targets Sandy as the latest victim in her ongoing credit card fraud scheme by obtaining his information via prank call, making him believe his credit card account is in jeopardy. It is when him and a number of his coworkers ditch their dead-end jobs and begin working at a company created by one of the ex-employees (John Cho) does Sandy feel his life is on the up-and-up.
Sandy is soon arrested for failing to appear at a court hearing for Diana, and this is when he discovers he is a victim of an identity theft. Because the law enforcement of Denver has a cockamamie list of rules they adhere to, not arresting or even researching Diana's records since she lives in Winter Park, Florida, Sandy decides to take matters into his own hands by going down to Florida to nab Diana and get her to confess to law enforcement and to his boss to remain secure in his life again. He assumes that because of Diana's pudgy nature, she'll be an easy catch, until he finds that she's a violent, dangerous menace that is almost frighteningly haunted and mentally off balance. Not only that, but both are being pursued by a witless debt collector and two other assassins that want both dead for the crimes they've committed or allegedly committed.
What ensues is a predictable, uneven road comedy between the two, with two actors swimming in potential, but wasting it in a comedy of tired errors. Jason Bateman can play straight characters in obscure worlds in a beautiful way (see Extract for reference), and Melissa McCarthy showed that being gross can be funny in Judd Apatow's Bridesmaids. Both of their schticks begin to show signs of wear as Identity Thief haplessly approaches the hour mark and many laugh-inducing situations have been proposed but none of them fully exercising them.
Gordon's previous film was Four Christmases, a film that wasn't as mawkish and oversentimentalized as it could've been. While it still accentuated a rather negative relation to the holiday of Christmas and was part of the genre I just spoke of, it still kept its premise concise and did not overcompensate its material to a ghastly overlong length. Identity Thief does the opposite. Its unnecessary sequences involving overweight people having intercourse and public humiliation are got from the drearily immature cloth I'm growing ever-so fond of laying in when I watch comedies.
Yet the film really drops the ball when it attempts to make Diana a character we're supposed to feel bad for after all her menace, violent nature, unjustifiable cruelty, and not to mention, her willingness to commit crimes of sheer carelessness. She is so loathsome that it isn't that her dramatic instances where her character receives humanization fall flat, but it's that she's proved herself to be such a smug, arrogant, astronomically mean-spirited character that it's like trying to accept a friend back after he's taken advantage of you numerous times. You feel cheated, used, and now, foolish to consider accepting them back into your life.
Identity Thief unfortunately subjects its leads into joyless, gimmicky physical schtick, frequent car chases, and sorely unfunny scenes that evoke the least common denominator of juvenile humor. It may not be as unabashedly quirky as some other comedic efforts I've seen this year, but regarding the cast, the material, and the ability of the director to create a comfortable, unobtrusive atmosphere, this endeavor should've much, much funnier.
Starring: Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, Amanda Peet, and John Cho. Directed by: Seth Gordon.
Other than that, that's about all the sympathy I have for the characters in Seth Gordon's Identity Thief. Overlong, underwritten, and tritely crafted, this is a perfect example of a comedy in the genre I call "maximum antics, minimum laughter." To qualify for the placement, you must subject a somewhat interesting premise to more grating physical schtick than the intelligently crafted kind, which centers around characters, wit, heart, substance, and wordplay.
As established, Bateman plays Sandy Bigelow-Patterson, a mild-mannered everyman, functioning aimlessly in the corporate world that leaves him stuck in the center of the ladder. He struggles not only with responsibility and a constant neglect in a pay raise, but with his wife (Amanda Peet) and two children, whose demands will soon become greater. The last thing Sandy needs is Diana (Melissa McCarthy), a portly, frantic, remorseless woman who targets Sandy as the latest victim in her ongoing credit card fraud scheme by obtaining his information via prank call, making him believe his credit card account is in jeopardy. It is when him and a number of his coworkers ditch their dead-end jobs and begin working at a company created by one of the ex-employees (John Cho) does Sandy feel his life is on the up-and-up.
Sandy is soon arrested for failing to appear at a court hearing for Diana, and this is when he discovers he is a victim of an identity theft. Because the law enforcement of Denver has a cockamamie list of rules they adhere to, not arresting or even researching Diana's records since she lives in Winter Park, Florida, Sandy decides to take matters into his own hands by going down to Florida to nab Diana and get her to confess to law enforcement and to his boss to remain secure in his life again. He assumes that because of Diana's pudgy nature, she'll be an easy catch, until he finds that she's a violent, dangerous menace that is almost frighteningly haunted and mentally off balance. Not only that, but both are being pursued by a witless debt collector and two other assassins that want both dead for the crimes they've committed or allegedly committed.
What ensues is a predictable, uneven road comedy between the two, with two actors swimming in potential, but wasting it in a comedy of tired errors. Jason Bateman can play straight characters in obscure worlds in a beautiful way (see Extract for reference), and Melissa McCarthy showed that being gross can be funny in Judd Apatow's Bridesmaids. Both of their schticks begin to show signs of wear as Identity Thief haplessly approaches the hour mark and many laugh-inducing situations have been proposed but none of them fully exercising them.
Gordon's previous film was Four Christmases, a film that wasn't as mawkish and oversentimentalized as it could've been. While it still accentuated a rather negative relation to the holiday of Christmas and was part of the genre I just spoke of, it still kept its premise concise and did not overcompensate its material to a ghastly overlong length. Identity Thief does the opposite. Its unnecessary sequences involving overweight people having intercourse and public humiliation are got from the drearily immature cloth I'm growing ever-so fond of laying in when I watch comedies.
Yet the film really drops the ball when it attempts to make Diana a character we're supposed to feel bad for after all her menace, violent nature, unjustifiable cruelty, and not to mention, her willingness to commit crimes of sheer carelessness. She is so loathsome that it isn't that her dramatic instances where her character receives humanization fall flat, but it's that she's proved herself to be such a smug, arrogant, astronomically mean-spirited character that it's like trying to accept a friend back after he's taken advantage of you numerous times. You feel cheated, used, and now, foolish to consider accepting them back into your life.
Identity Thief unfortunately subjects its leads into joyless, gimmicky physical schtick, frequent car chases, and sorely unfunny scenes that evoke the least common denominator of juvenile humor. It may not be as unabashedly quirky as some other comedic efforts I've seen this year, but regarding the cast, the material, and the ability of the director to create a comfortable, unobtrusive atmosphere, this endeavor should've much, much funnier.
Starring: Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, Amanda Peet, and John Cho. Directed by: Seth Gordon.
Hit the road and run
Prismark1016 September 2014
This is in essence Planes, Trains and Automobile. We had a similar themed film a few years earlier in Due Date with Robert Downey Jr and Zach Galifianakis.
Here Melissa McCarthy steals the identity of Jason Bateman and goes on a credit card spree but it becomes clear early on is that all she wants is to be loved and wanted by others.
Bateman is the one in for a shock when his credit card is declined and then wanted by cops and goes out to seek McCarthy and clear his name.
McCarthy like Galifianakis is going to be typecast as the loud, fat, obnoxious person who does vulgar things on screen.
Bateman is OK as the boring, dull, decent family guy with a horrible boss. Not sure why more was not made of the horrible boss premise and also why would Bateman, an accounts assistant whose job could be done by a computer programme according to his old boss would suddenly be able to have a five fold increase in his salary when some of his colleagues set up on their own.
As a comedy this is a fail, I cannot recall laughing once at this film. The rest of the movie is seen it all before as the mismatched duo hate each other, later bond and then have some escapades from a bounty hunter and some underworld crime duo who are also after McCarthy.
If you want a funny road film, check out Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Here Melissa McCarthy steals the identity of Jason Bateman and goes on a credit card spree but it becomes clear early on is that all she wants is to be loved and wanted by others.
Bateman is the one in for a shock when his credit card is declined and then wanted by cops and goes out to seek McCarthy and clear his name.
McCarthy like Galifianakis is going to be typecast as the loud, fat, obnoxious person who does vulgar things on screen.
Bateman is OK as the boring, dull, decent family guy with a horrible boss. Not sure why more was not made of the horrible boss premise and also why would Bateman, an accounts assistant whose job could be done by a computer programme according to his old boss would suddenly be able to have a five fold increase in his salary when some of his colleagues set up on their own.
As a comedy this is a fail, I cannot recall laughing once at this film. The rest of the movie is seen it all before as the mismatched duo hate each other, later bond and then have some escapades from a bounty hunter and some underworld crime duo who are also after McCarthy.
If you want a funny road film, check out Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Formulaic road trip comedy, but the actors make the jokes funny
napierslogs17 February 2013
As the cartoon-ish posters tell us, Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman) is a sucker. He just gave his personal identification information to a stranger over the phone. Sandy Patterson (Melissa McCarthy) is the "Identity Thief". After getting arrested and almost getting fired from his job, the real Sandy Patterson is determined to get his identity back. A stupid but convenient police procedural sets Sandy off across the country to bring the criminal to justice.
It's the type of film where critics and audiences are at odds. Critics think it's one of the worst comedies ever made, audiences don't particularly like it all that much either, but are paying to see it in theatres in droves. Go figure. Well, I liked it. It has its fair share of problems, but it can make you laugh, simply and effectively.
The key to comedy is timing. Bateman is a good comedic actor and he has great comedic timing. His lines are funny enough and we are able to laugh at his misfortunes because we know good will have to come to him eventually. The film itself also has good timing. A handful of well- timed edits had me screaming, laughing and crying in a ball as a snake squirmed its way up Sandy's pants. The scene that followed handled an animal joke better than most similar comedies do.
Say what you will about Melissa McCarthy, but she's a good actress based solely on the fact that every character she has played is completely different than any she has played before. "Sandy"/Diana is not Molly, not the filthy Megan, not the scattered Sookie and not any of the darker characters that she played in a few dramas. Diana has no friends (but can buy some using Sandy's money) because she's extreme in her actions. But that's where comedy lies, in the extreme.
"Identity Thief" does take the road trip comedy angle and makes it fairly formulaic with the various obstacles, but that's also what makes it likable. Sandy is likable, Diana is over-the-top but that's what makes the comedy work. The film, though, is a "soft R", meaning the jokes are tame and silly not overly crude or crass. Considering how much audiences love the R-rated comedy, that's apparently the problem with this movie. It just wasn't raunchy enough for them. Well, I can like my comedies with a few less swear words and no nudity, so I liked it.
It's the type of film where critics and audiences are at odds. Critics think it's one of the worst comedies ever made, audiences don't particularly like it all that much either, but are paying to see it in theatres in droves. Go figure. Well, I liked it. It has its fair share of problems, but it can make you laugh, simply and effectively.
The key to comedy is timing. Bateman is a good comedic actor and he has great comedic timing. His lines are funny enough and we are able to laugh at his misfortunes because we know good will have to come to him eventually. The film itself also has good timing. A handful of well- timed edits had me screaming, laughing and crying in a ball as a snake squirmed its way up Sandy's pants. The scene that followed handled an animal joke better than most similar comedies do.
Say what you will about Melissa McCarthy, but she's a good actress based solely on the fact that every character she has played is completely different than any she has played before. "Sandy"/Diana is not Molly, not the filthy Megan, not the scattered Sookie and not any of the darker characters that she played in a few dramas. Diana has no friends (but can buy some using Sandy's money) because she's extreme in her actions. But that's where comedy lies, in the extreme.
"Identity Thief" does take the road trip comedy angle and makes it fairly formulaic with the various obstacles, but that's also what makes it likable. Sandy is likable, Diana is over-the-top but that's what makes the comedy work. The film, though, is a "soft R", meaning the jokes are tame and silly not overly crude or crass. Considering how much audiences love the R-rated comedy, that's apparently the problem with this movie. It just wasn't raunchy enough for them. Well, I can like my comedies with a few less swear words and no nudity, so I liked it.
Treat this film as if it was a car wreck with a police officer gesturing 'theres nothing to see here, just keep moving.'
nesfilmreviews28 May 2013
Director Seth Gordon's previous feature, "Horrible Bosses" (2012), wasn't anything special as a comedy despite its potential, but it contained a few clever moments to make it worthwhile. "Identity Thief" makes a fatal mistake when Gordon attempts to incorporate a dramatic element to the story line. By going in this direction, it is no longer possible to view "Identity Thief" as a compilation of marginal fat jokes, sex gags, and slapstick humor. Instead, we are forced to absorb a "serious" aspect that is so poorly rendered it's unbearable to watch. There are bad movies, and then there's "Identity Thief."
"Identity Thief" starts out as a comedy about a nice, clean-cut guy named Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman), who travels from the Colorado home he shares with his wife, Trish (Amanda Peet), and two daughters, to Florida. His goal: track down the woman who stole his identity, trashed his credit rating, and cost him his job. She's Diana (Melissa McCarthy), a fat, foul-mouthed dipstick who is freely spending as she adds to Sandy's debt. What transpires is a series of completely implausible situations that transforms "Identity Thief" into a mismatched buddy film. And that's when the wheel's come off completely. The film suffers from the classic complaint that the funniest moments were in the trailer, and even then it's nothing special. A strong contender for the Razzies, and for those unfamiliar, they acknowledge and award the worst movie of the year. Proceed with caution .you've been warned.
"Identity Thief" starts out as a comedy about a nice, clean-cut guy named Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman), who travels from the Colorado home he shares with his wife, Trish (Amanda Peet), and two daughters, to Florida. His goal: track down the woman who stole his identity, trashed his credit rating, and cost him his job. She's Diana (Melissa McCarthy), a fat, foul-mouthed dipstick who is freely spending as she adds to Sandy's debt. What transpires is a series of completely implausible situations that transforms "Identity Thief" into a mismatched buddy film. And that's when the wheel's come off completely. The film suffers from the classic complaint that the funniest moments were in the trailer, and even then it's nothing special. A strong contender for the Razzies, and for those unfamiliar, they acknowledge and award the worst movie of the year. Proceed with caution .you've been warned.
don't listen to the bad reviews--first laugh two min's in/if you have a sense of humor , its a funny movie
thepotatoHasEyes10 March 2013
This movie is a good comedy, I cant believe i have to say this in every(almost)comedy review. comedy is not going to deliver any deep messages or "take" you anywhere. it is just the friend that comes over to cheer you up. ---check out "DRAMA" if you need meaning -- stop knocking pro made comedy , not everyone has the same sense of humor but most humor is universal so if you wanna laugh , you will,
the opening set-up for this movie jumps right in , explains the concept well and sets the tone for funny, i was laughing right away,
Top name actors , highly polished feel, easy storyline, and "it's true life experiences that we can all--well , most of us --laugh about(or cry).
Jon Favreau is in this- he does'nt do bad movies,if he is listed as producer(he is brilliant)or actor , it's worth watching.
lastly-nothing worse than a long review-hint to reviewers-- so i am oudahere --NOW HIT PLAY ON THE MOVIE
the opening set-up for this movie jumps right in , explains the concept well and sets the tone for funny, i was laughing right away,
Top name actors , highly polished feel, easy storyline, and "it's true life experiences that we can all--well , most of us --laugh about(or cry).
Jon Favreau is in this- he does'nt do bad movies,if he is listed as producer(he is brilliant)or actor , it's worth watching.
lastly-nothing worse than a long review-hint to reviewers-- so i am oudahere --NOW HIT PLAY ON THE MOVIE
It's a bit of fun
davekelley-82-91244917 August 2014
Enjoyable romp, bit of fun, never a dull moment, I don't know why so many people have written so many bad reviews but judging from what they write I don't know what they were doing watching it in the first place they obviously can't switch off, sit back and just have a bit of a laugh. That's all there is to this film and there's nothing wrong with that in my opinion. Watch the DVD and avoid the dreadful ant n dec / x factor on a Saturday night!
IMDb insists that my review isn't long enough and I have to add some more lines so here's some padding. The acting is good, the plot is ridiculous and unfeasible but you have to put that aside, after all it's a movie not a documentary or an educational/training video. After reading the negative reviews on here I almost didn't bother watching this but I had already made the purchase and I am glad i did so before looking on here, because it would have put me off bothering!
It's not brilliant, but it isn't bad.
IMDb insists that my review isn't long enough and I have to add some more lines so here's some padding. The acting is good, the plot is ridiculous and unfeasible but you have to put that aside, after all it's a movie not a documentary or an educational/training video. After reading the negative reviews on here I almost didn't bother watching this but I had already made the purchase and I am glad i did so before looking on here, because it would have put me off bothering!
It's not brilliant, but it isn't bad.
Identity Thief is a weak inconsistency that struggles to find an actual identity
diac2288 February 2013
It is deliciously ironic that a movie called Identity Thief has a very tough time building an identity for itself to display to the audience. This movie is a total jumble and lacks enough structure to even attempt to become a decent movie. What saves this movie from being a total disaster are the lead actors which had been on a roll up to this point. For those expecting a deliciously dark follow-up to Horrible Bosses from that same director instead will walk away quite disenchanted and disappointed.
In a nutshell, stressed father and husband Sandy Patterson has his identity stolen resulting in him building up debt that's being accumulated by another person. Desperately in order to save his job and get his life back, he travels down to Florida to find the thief and convince her to return back to Colorado to get things straightened out. This plot is rather ridiculous, which is why it required a screwball or dark comedic taint to remove the absurdity of it all. Unfortunately, despite the trailers and television spots this barely is a dark comedy, and barely works as a comedy to be exact.
Identity Thief is sometimes funny, but never funny enough. It is sometimes dark and twisted, but never truly dark and twisted enough. It's even sometimes emotional and sentimental (very inconsistently I might add), but even that ship sails too soon far too often. Lastly it is sometimes interesting and suspenseful, but, well, you get the point. The intriguing and potentially hilarious premise of a disgruntled victim meeting his money-sucking predator was started by a Floridian teacher, but gets ruined by a bloated and underdeveloped script by Craig Mazin----whom doesn't really have a good repertoire. The mismatched directing of Seth Gordon didn't help either.
It is ultimately the cast that keeps it afloat, even when the script bogs them down. Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy work well together and did a great job despite the circumstances, particularly McCarthy. Then check out the rest of this underused staff: Eric Stonestreet, Robert Patrick, Amanda Peet, Genesis Rodriguez, Morris Chestnut, and John Cho. Plenty of good actors and each with the ability to breathe life into the project, but unfortunately just didn't have enough screen time to make an impact.
Bottom Line: Resembling a weak, watered-down useless version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles instead of the likes of Horrible Bosses and the best of Danny DeVito, Identity Thief struggles to find the right focus and right footing and winds up becoming a movie that isn't funny enough, isn't dramatic enough, isn't wild enough, isn't likable enough, and generally isn't good enough to warrant a second viewing---or a first one. It's one thing to disappoint, but it's a totally different matter when you disappoint underneath so much potential and so much talent at the helm.
In a nutshell, stressed father and husband Sandy Patterson has his identity stolen resulting in him building up debt that's being accumulated by another person. Desperately in order to save his job and get his life back, he travels down to Florida to find the thief and convince her to return back to Colorado to get things straightened out. This plot is rather ridiculous, which is why it required a screwball or dark comedic taint to remove the absurdity of it all. Unfortunately, despite the trailers and television spots this barely is a dark comedy, and barely works as a comedy to be exact.
Identity Thief is sometimes funny, but never funny enough. It is sometimes dark and twisted, but never truly dark and twisted enough. It's even sometimes emotional and sentimental (very inconsistently I might add), but even that ship sails too soon far too often. Lastly it is sometimes interesting and suspenseful, but, well, you get the point. The intriguing and potentially hilarious premise of a disgruntled victim meeting his money-sucking predator was started by a Floridian teacher, but gets ruined by a bloated and underdeveloped script by Craig Mazin----whom doesn't really have a good repertoire. The mismatched directing of Seth Gordon didn't help either.
It is ultimately the cast that keeps it afloat, even when the script bogs them down. Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy work well together and did a great job despite the circumstances, particularly McCarthy. Then check out the rest of this underused staff: Eric Stonestreet, Robert Patrick, Amanda Peet, Genesis Rodriguez, Morris Chestnut, and John Cho. Plenty of good actors and each with the ability to breathe life into the project, but unfortunately just didn't have enough screen time to make an impact.
Bottom Line: Resembling a weak, watered-down useless version of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles instead of the likes of Horrible Bosses and the best of Danny DeVito, Identity Thief struggles to find the right focus and right footing and winds up becoming a movie that isn't funny enough, isn't dramatic enough, isn't wild enough, isn't likable enough, and generally isn't good enough to warrant a second viewing---or a first one. It's one thing to disappoint, but it's a totally different matter when you disappoint underneath so much potential and so much talent at the helm.
Weak, Not Funny
bob-rutzel-16 June 2013
Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman) discovers that his identity has been stolen by Diana (Melissa McCarthy) and goes to where she is in Florida to bring her to justice and get his life back.
The promos did me in again. They were funny and the only things that were funny in this "comedy." When I saw the name Melissa McCarthy I was dreading her spewing off foul and raunchy language for 3-minutes without breathing. She has that shtick judging from earlier movies I have seen of her, but, surprisingly that never happened, thank goodness.
Diana is basically the main character and Sandy just goes along for the ride trying to get his life back. Diana does the silly, stupid, but mandatory things a Hollywood comedy must have and we in the audience cringe a lot. So much for comedy. This could have been good and funny, but those silly, stupid and mandatory things trump everything else that could have been used no matter how good they may have been. So much for any creativity. We get the same things over and over again and timing be damned. After a while it all becomes tedious, bland, and why are we watching?
To be fair Jason Bateman does have good timing and some of his actions inject some humor into this. I wish someone would come up with a script that hi-lites Bateman's talent and not just treat him like a 5th wheel. (Hey, maybe it's him picking these weak, not funny scripts.) Hmmm (3/10)
Violence: Yes. Sex: Yes, simulated in a motel room. Nudity: No. Adult sexual Language: Yes. Language, other: Yes, not much surprisingly
The promos did me in again. They were funny and the only things that were funny in this "comedy." When I saw the name Melissa McCarthy I was dreading her spewing off foul and raunchy language for 3-minutes without breathing. She has that shtick judging from earlier movies I have seen of her, but, surprisingly that never happened, thank goodness.
Diana is basically the main character and Sandy just goes along for the ride trying to get his life back. Diana does the silly, stupid, but mandatory things a Hollywood comedy must have and we in the audience cringe a lot. So much for comedy. This could have been good and funny, but those silly, stupid and mandatory things trump everything else that could have been used no matter how good they may have been. So much for any creativity. We get the same things over and over again and timing be damned. After a while it all becomes tedious, bland, and why are we watching?
To be fair Jason Bateman does have good timing and some of his actions inject some humor into this. I wish someone would come up with a script that hi-lites Bateman's talent and not just treat him like a 5th wheel. (Hey, maybe it's him picking these weak, not funny scripts.) Hmmm (3/10)
Violence: Yes. Sex: Yes, simulated in a motel room. Nudity: No. Adult sexual Language: Yes. Language, other: Yes, not much surprisingly
It was a lot better than I expected!
cecilliawhite14 March 2013
I was a little skeptical about this movie, as sometimes it seems like all the funny bits (or scary in the case of a horror movie) are seen in the trailer. Also, the mediocre ratings made me think that this was going to be just some mediocre film. Well, I can happily say that I was proved wrong.
If you actually try to have a good time, you will. Don't get sucked into some sort of high standard that entitles you to not be able to laugh at goofy humor. Why would you even go watch a comedy movie in this day of age if you expected anything more than sexual persuasive / dirty humor? Bottom line, this is a really entertaining movie and had me laughing almost constantly throughout.
Give it a shot and see what you think; you're sure to laugh at some point :)
If you actually try to have a good time, you will. Don't get sucked into some sort of high standard that entitles you to not be able to laugh at goofy humor. Why would you even go watch a comedy movie in this day of age if you expected anything more than sexual persuasive / dirty humor? Bottom line, this is a really entertaining movie and had me laughing almost constantly throughout.
Give it a shot and see what you think; you're sure to laugh at some point :)
Grand Larceny: This picture steals more than your identity ...
gregeichelberger5 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
It seems the dearth of Hollywood comedies has reached epidemic proportions, and with the newest release, "Identity Thief," that record continues unabated. If any laughs are garnered from this Seth Gordon directed production, they are cheaply achieved indeed, and come through a few grotesque moments dealing with voyeurism or people getting punched in the throat and shot and stuffed into automobile trunks.
Yes, it's that funny . . . And, the many victims of identity theft will more than attest to the sheer number of yocks presented by the situation.
Plotwise, for what it is worth, has the world's biggest financial idiot (even though he is a respected, high-paid accountant), Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman, so good in TV's "Arrested Development," but has hosted a pedigree of bad comedies, including "The Change-Up," "Horrible Bosses" and "Couples Retreat"), who has his life stolen by a con artist (Melissa McCarthy, TV series "Mike & Molly" and was actually nominated for an Academy Award for "Bridesmaids," which goes to show how far Oscar has fallen since 1929).
It's not just his financial situation that is almost ruined, however, but his personal life and career since she is busted on a felony rap and is involved with stolen credit cards as well as drugs and other fun things.
This is especially bad because Sandy is dealing with another horrible boss, Harold Cornish ("Iron Man" director Jon Favreau), and has just begun what could be a lucrative new position with colleague Daniel Casey (John Cho, "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas"). All of that is in jeopardy, though, unless he can go to Florida where the criminal abides, bring her back and force her to confess to his boss. Yep, that's likely to happen.
But, since this is a movie, we know all possibilities are on the table, so Sandy drives to the Sunshine State and actually persuades her to come with him to Colorado. Like "Midnight Run," "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," "Guilt Trip" or any number of road films, the option of flying — which would reduce the travel as well as film time — is not an option and driving back to Denver seems the only solution.
This allows any number of comic situations to develop. Unfortunately, nothing remotely humorous occurs during this tedious adventure and in another situation where more is WAY too much, the moronic couple pretends to be married, fights constantly (she seems to punch EVERYONE in the throat), ends up being chased by not only violent drug hit men, but a psychotic bounty hunter (Robert Patrick, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day"), to boot.
Also along the way, she also gets involved with a fat drunken guy (Eric Stonestreet, "Bad Teacher") at a bar which leads to an embarrassing and nauseating sequence that lowers the grade of "Identity Thief" even further (if that's remotely conceivable).
Do we care that Sandy misses his wife (Amanda Peet, "2012") and his two nondescript daughters, or that he is really a nice guy who is caught in a situation beyond his control? Do we understand that the con artist has been alone and pushed around all of her life, or does not know her real name or has to steal identities because she has none of her own?
Absolutely not, because by the time "Identity Thief" concludes and McCarthy has a tear-jerking moment in a St. Louis restaurant, her character has been so annoying, repulsive and over-the-top ridiculous, all care, concern and empathy is thrown out the window and we are just anxious to get out of the cinemaplex as quickly as possible. That's sad, because while Bateman just goes through the motions of the sad-sack, put-upon milquetoast, McCarthy has flashes of very decent work.
But it's all for naught. With the most ludicrous of situations, no real laughs and its inability to decide if it wants to be a dramatic comedy or comedic drama or whatever, "Identity Thief" could be titled "Time and Money Thief," since it is an apt description of what the viewer will suffer by seeing this most disappointing picture.
Yes, it's that funny . . . And, the many victims of identity theft will more than attest to the sheer number of yocks presented by the situation.
Plotwise, for what it is worth, has the world's biggest financial idiot (even though he is a respected, high-paid accountant), Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman, so good in TV's "Arrested Development," but has hosted a pedigree of bad comedies, including "The Change-Up," "Horrible Bosses" and "Couples Retreat"), who has his life stolen by a con artist (Melissa McCarthy, TV series "Mike & Molly" and was actually nominated for an Academy Award for "Bridesmaids," which goes to show how far Oscar has fallen since 1929).
It's not just his financial situation that is almost ruined, however, but his personal life and career since she is busted on a felony rap and is involved with stolen credit cards as well as drugs and other fun things.
This is especially bad because Sandy is dealing with another horrible boss, Harold Cornish ("Iron Man" director Jon Favreau), and has just begun what could be a lucrative new position with colleague Daniel Casey (John Cho, "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas"). All of that is in jeopardy, though, unless he can go to Florida where the criminal abides, bring her back and force her to confess to his boss. Yep, that's likely to happen.
But, since this is a movie, we know all possibilities are on the table, so Sandy drives to the Sunshine State and actually persuades her to come with him to Colorado. Like "Midnight Run," "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," "Guilt Trip" or any number of road films, the option of flying — which would reduce the travel as well as film time — is not an option and driving back to Denver seems the only solution.
This allows any number of comic situations to develop. Unfortunately, nothing remotely humorous occurs during this tedious adventure and in another situation where more is WAY too much, the moronic couple pretends to be married, fights constantly (she seems to punch EVERYONE in the throat), ends up being chased by not only violent drug hit men, but a psychotic bounty hunter (Robert Patrick, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day"), to boot.
Also along the way, she also gets involved with a fat drunken guy (Eric Stonestreet, "Bad Teacher") at a bar which leads to an embarrassing and nauseating sequence that lowers the grade of "Identity Thief" even further (if that's remotely conceivable).
Do we care that Sandy misses his wife (Amanda Peet, "2012") and his two nondescript daughters, or that he is really a nice guy who is caught in a situation beyond his control? Do we understand that the con artist has been alone and pushed around all of her life, or does not know her real name or has to steal identities because she has none of her own?
Absolutely not, because by the time "Identity Thief" concludes and McCarthy has a tear-jerking moment in a St. Louis restaurant, her character has been so annoying, repulsive and over-the-top ridiculous, all care, concern and empathy is thrown out the window and we are just anxious to get out of the cinemaplex as quickly as possible. That's sad, because while Bateman just goes through the motions of the sad-sack, put-upon milquetoast, McCarthy has flashes of very decent work.
But it's all for naught. With the most ludicrous of situations, no real laughs and its inability to decide if it wants to be a dramatic comedy or comedic drama or whatever, "Identity Thief" could be titled "Time and Money Thief," since it is an apt description of what the viewer will suffer by seeing this most disappointing picture.
From the film's premise to the end, just awful
AlsExGal15 August 2021
First, this film is set in 2013 - present day at the time, not 1983. Identity theft is something that has happened to everybody by this date. Nobody is going to think you have dreamed up an imaginary crime and expect you to travel to another state and bring back the identity thief to prove the crime even happened. The cops wouldn't agree to this. Instead they would vehemently disagree that this is a good idea at all. More likely than not said identity thieve(s) are in another country anyways, or if not have friends who will wind up burying you in the backyard.
And of course the identity thief is a fat woman. Because we all know fat people are bad and have no self control (snark). Everybody in the film is completely unlikeable, including the protagonist. It is exhibit A in what is wrong with any comedy made since 2010. I saw Bridesmaids. A little of Megan McCarthy's schtick is funny, but she just can't carry an entire film.
This was on in the middle of the night and I thought I would give it a chance. It was so bad it was not boring. I will give it that.
And of course the identity thief is a fat woman. Because we all know fat people are bad and have no self control (snark). Everybody in the film is completely unlikeable, including the protagonist. It is exhibit A in what is wrong with any comedy made since 2010. I saw Bridesmaids. A little of Megan McCarthy's schtick is funny, but she just can't carry an entire film.
This was on in the middle of the night and I thought I would give it a chance. It was so bad it was not boring. I will give it that.
Hilarious! Rex Reed kiss my arse!
southfljb11 March 2013
Critics i.e. Rex Reed, must really have it out for Melissa McCarthy because the hateful reviews on this movie and her personally are not warranted.
If you like slapstick, raunchy, adult comedies then you will like Identity Thief. McCarthy shines in this movie, her physical comedy talent is right on the mark and she really gives her character a heart and soul. Bateman does well as the straight man caught up in McCarthy's crazy world of con games and identity theft.
This is pure escapism entertainment, you have to suspend your disbelief and just go for the ride. This is not Argo or Lincoln and it's not supposed to be. We saw this 3/9/13 at the Muvico and the theater was packed! Everyone seemed to enjoy the movie and the four of us thought it was hysterical. There are some really good one liners and physical comedy situations here. The box office success of this movie goes to show you that critics don't know bs about what people find funny. I can't wait to see Melissa in her new movie with Sandra Bullock.
If you like slapstick, raunchy, adult comedies then you will like Identity Thief. McCarthy shines in this movie, her physical comedy talent is right on the mark and she really gives her character a heart and soul. Bateman does well as the straight man caught up in McCarthy's crazy world of con games and identity theft.
This is pure escapism entertainment, you have to suspend your disbelief and just go for the ride. This is not Argo or Lincoln and it's not supposed to be. We saw this 3/9/13 at the Muvico and the theater was packed! Everyone seemed to enjoy the movie and the four of us thought it was hysterical. There are some really good one liners and physical comedy situations here. The box office success of this movie goes to show you that critics don't know bs about what people find funny. I can't wait to see Melissa in her new movie with Sandra Bullock.
Absolute disappointment!
jscott5546 March 2013
Oh My God this movie was bad
So horrible
it hurt to sit through the first 20 minutes to get to the point. I felt I could review it due without ever bothering to digest the whole piece.
Despite the high profile comedic talent on hand, (Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy), the movie is so predictable that you can guess almost every nuance in it. If you wish to have your intelligence insulted for an hour and a half, this is for you.
The idiotic pranks the script calls for in the first half hour are so predictable, you laugh at the characters as they attempt to convince you they're going through the actual experience of identity theft. The lame attempt to profile a law enforcement agent's disdain for having to pursue an identity thief is akin to what the audience feels in their effort to connect with the characters. McCarty's character is so predictable we've seen it 100 times in Hollywood. Good person feels unloved, steals someone else's material goods to feel appreciated, throws party, is told no one cares and voila they want to do right.
Hello, thanks for your complete lack of originality.
When you have comedic talent, you don't have to give them an 9th grader's high school play script to read. Give them some real material. McCarthy's character is so predictable you already hate her before you're invested into why she actually bother to steal Bateman's character's identity. By the time the movie reveals that McCarthy is a self-loathing, conceited, self deprecating individual who wants out of her predictable Drug/gang related troubles, you have no empathy for her character what-so-ever. In fact, you've already begun to detest her role as a leach.
Bateman is the only character worth investing in and perhaps that's because we still identify with him as one of the principles in Hancock, nearly the same character.
If I'm spending $8 to see a film it sure as heck isn't this one.
Give us a real script and less predictable jokes, less predictable outcomes and less predictable plot lines. Yes, the actors were funny, but everything else about this film suc&ed.
Save your $ go see something else.
Despite the high profile comedic talent on hand, (Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy), the movie is so predictable that you can guess almost every nuance in it. If you wish to have your intelligence insulted for an hour and a half, this is for you.
The idiotic pranks the script calls for in the first half hour are so predictable, you laugh at the characters as they attempt to convince you they're going through the actual experience of identity theft. The lame attempt to profile a law enforcement agent's disdain for having to pursue an identity thief is akin to what the audience feels in their effort to connect with the characters. McCarty's character is so predictable we've seen it 100 times in Hollywood. Good person feels unloved, steals someone else's material goods to feel appreciated, throws party, is told no one cares and voila they want to do right.
Hello, thanks for your complete lack of originality.
When you have comedic talent, you don't have to give them an 9th grader's high school play script to read. Give them some real material. McCarthy's character is so predictable you already hate her before you're invested into why she actually bother to steal Bateman's character's identity. By the time the movie reveals that McCarthy is a self-loathing, conceited, self deprecating individual who wants out of her predictable Drug/gang related troubles, you have no empathy for her character what-so-ever. In fact, you've already begun to detest her role as a leach.
Bateman is the only character worth investing in and perhaps that's because we still identify with him as one of the principles in Hancock, nearly the same character.
If I'm spending $8 to see a film it sure as heck isn't this one.
Give us a real script and less predictable jokes, less predictable outcomes and less predictable plot lines. Yes, the actors were funny, but everything else about this film suc&ed.
Save your $ go see something else.
Identity Thief: Or, in Italian: Identity Thieves
ghost_dog8610 February 2013
In one of those movies where the funniest moments are in the trailers, "Identity Thief" is director Seth Gordon's hit and miss follow up to the hilarious "Horrible Bosses", and is also nothing more than a less consistently funny version of "Due Date".
The Plot: This movie lays out the improbable (even for a comedy) set-up of a man in Colorado named Sandy Patterson (funny name to give a man, huh? Well, I guess it's funny the first few times this joke is told) played by the very much underrated Jason Bateman, who gets his identity stolen by a woman in Florida, played by Melissa McCarthy. After the police outright refuse to help him, Sandy sets out on a quest of sorts to Florida in order to bring McCarthy's character back to Colorado himself (basically doing the police's job for them) so that she may stand trial for her crimes. Hilarious! Now, when Bateman and McCarthy find themselves in a road trip situation (about 30 minutes in) it is only then that Gordon seems to let these two very funny comedic actors run wild and "Identity Thief" begins to see comedic moments that actually work. In saying that, as I stated before, aside from all of the funny scenes that the trailers had to offer, and one laugh out loud sex scene (that of which occurs in the unevenly entertaining middle portion of this film) "Identity Thief" is bookended and sporadically injected with more unfunny and contrived moments, which consistently work to drag this movie back down into the still waters of mediocrity time and time again. Furthermore, while the beginning is slow and shockingly sigh inducing, the ending's ineffectiveness clearly notifies audiences about how flawed Gordon's visual storytelling abilities are in this instance. OK, so to avoid ruining this very predictable ending, I'll simply put it like this: There was not one moment throughout this film where I did NOT want to see McCarthy's character end up in prison. Call me heartless if you must.
The Acting: OK, while Gordon does attempt to mask how weak this plot is by allowing Bateman to make some funny faces and come through with some snide monotone zingers, as well as allow McCarthy to pursue an Olympic trial's worth of physical comedy, in all actuality the rest of this supporting cast is absolutely worthless. In fact, let's (for a second) run down the list of notable actors who are wasted in this movie: Jon Favreau is only in one scene; wasted, Robert Patrick plays a forgettable bounty hunter; wasted, John Cho is given half of a funny line to say in a 90 minute movie; wasted, T.I. gives one of the more worthless cameos in recent years; wasted, Amanda Peet is such a non-character here that I almost forgot that she was in this movie; hence, she's wasted, Genesis Rodriquez has nice eyebrows, but all in all she's wasted, and Eric Stonestreet well, he's actually pretty funny in his one scene with McCarthy.
Final Thought: While "Identity Thief" does contain pockets of funny, not even Bateman or McCarthy flailing about can help this film fully recover from its own flimsy premise, implausible actions and a failed ploy by the director to display any sort of sympathy for Melissa McCarthy's character. So, at the end of the day, it is not the two leads that let this movie down, it is the material itself, which unfortunately causes "Identity Thief" to be a rental recommendation at best. That said, "Identity Thief" is still funnier than "Bridesmaids".
Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland
Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus
The Plot: This movie lays out the improbable (even for a comedy) set-up of a man in Colorado named Sandy Patterson (funny name to give a man, huh? Well, I guess it's funny the first few times this joke is told) played by the very much underrated Jason Bateman, who gets his identity stolen by a woman in Florida, played by Melissa McCarthy. After the police outright refuse to help him, Sandy sets out on a quest of sorts to Florida in order to bring McCarthy's character back to Colorado himself (basically doing the police's job for them) so that she may stand trial for her crimes. Hilarious! Now, when Bateman and McCarthy find themselves in a road trip situation (about 30 minutes in) it is only then that Gordon seems to let these two very funny comedic actors run wild and "Identity Thief" begins to see comedic moments that actually work. In saying that, as I stated before, aside from all of the funny scenes that the trailers had to offer, and one laugh out loud sex scene (that of which occurs in the unevenly entertaining middle portion of this film) "Identity Thief" is bookended and sporadically injected with more unfunny and contrived moments, which consistently work to drag this movie back down into the still waters of mediocrity time and time again. Furthermore, while the beginning is slow and shockingly sigh inducing, the ending's ineffectiveness clearly notifies audiences about how flawed Gordon's visual storytelling abilities are in this instance. OK, so to avoid ruining this very predictable ending, I'll simply put it like this: There was not one moment throughout this film where I did NOT want to see McCarthy's character end up in prison. Call me heartless if you must.
The Acting: OK, while Gordon does attempt to mask how weak this plot is by allowing Bateman to make some funny faces and come through with some snide monotone zingers, as well as allow McCarthy to pursue an Olympic trial's worth of physical comedy, in all actuality the rest of this supporting cast is absolutely worthless. In fact, let's (for a second) run down the list of notable actors who are wasted in this movie: Jon Favreau is only in one scene; wasted, Robert Patrick plays a forgettable bounty hunter; wasted, John Cho is given half of a funny line to say in a 90 minute movie; wasted, T.I. gives one of the more worthless cameos in recent years; wasted, Amanda Peet is such a non-character here that I almost forgot that she was in this movie; hence, she's wasted, Genesis Rodriquez has nice eyebrows, but all in all she's wasted, and Eric Stonestreet well, he's actually pretty funny in his one scene with McCarthy.
Final Thought: While "Identity Thief" does contain pockets of funny, not even Bateman or McCarthy flailing about can help this film fully recover from its own flimsy premise, implausible actions and a failed ploy by the director to display any sort of sympathy for Melissa McCarthy's character. So, at the end of the day, it is not the two leads that let this movie down, it is the material itself, which unfortunately causes "Identity Thief" to be a rental recommendation at best. That said, "Identity Thief" is still funnier than "Bridesmaids".
Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland
Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus
Ignore the critics and the haters, this movie is doing huge box office for a good reason; it's actually a good film!
Hellmant22 March 2013
'IDENTITY THIEF': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy team up for this road trip/buddy comedy film directed by Seth Gordon (who also directed the hit comedy films 'HORRIBLE BOSSES' and 'FOUR CHRISTMASES'). It was written by Jerry Eeten and Craig Mazin (who also co-wrote 'THE HANGOVER PART II' and 'III' and 'SCARY MOVIE 3' and '4') and tells the story of a man who goes after the woman who stole his identity. He tries to make a citizen's arrest (because the police are useless) and bring her home with him, from Miami to Denver (She of course doesn't want to go peacefully). I went to see this movie with pretty low expectations (having heard a lot of negative reviews on the film, despite it's immense popularity) and was pleasantly surprised.
Bateman plays Sandy Peterson, a businessman in Denver who's struggling to get by and make enough money to support his wife (Amanda Peet) and two daughters (Mary-Charles and Maggie Elizabeth Jones). For multiple years in a row his asshole boss (Jon Favreau) has refused to give his employees bonuses despite the fact that he's getting a huge one himself (Gordon seems to have a big problem with bosses). Peterson's co-workers, lead by Daniel Casey (John Cho), want to leave the company and start their own business because of this. They ask Sandy to join them and he accepts. Things look up for Peterson for once until he finds out that a woman in Miami, Diana (McCarthy), has stolen his identity, ran up a huge amount of debt in his name and gotten him in some legal trouble. Detective Reilly (Morris Chestnut) makes Sandy aware of this but says there's nothing the police can really do about it. So Sandy decides to travel to Miami and bring Diana back to authorities in Denver (by lying to her and saying he just wants to clear things up at his work but won't pursue any legal charges against her). Diana is much more trouble than she appears to be and won't go with Sandy without a fight. They spend the rest of the film on the road together being pursued by two criminals (T.I. and the gorgeous Genesis Rodriguez, one of my new favorites) and a bounty hunter (Robert Patrick), who all want Diana as well. They of course bond in the process.
The movie is a lot funnier than the trailers make it out to be (thanks in large part to Bateman and McCarthy's performances) and the emotional drama of the film is surprisingly effective as well. While there is a fair amount of slapstick and over the top hijinks the characters still seem very real and relatable and by the end of the film you really learn to care for them. I think Jason Bateman has one of the best straight man routines in Hollywood and his delivery here (like always) is perfect. I've never been a big fan of McCarthy's and actually thought this movie looked horrible because of her but she actually gives a really strong and likable performance in it. She is extremely annoying for a lot of the film but she grows on you and gets you to feel for her as well (she's a surprisingly good actress). I was pretty disappointed with Bateman and Gordon's previous collaboration ('HORRIBLE BOSSES') but I went into it with really high expectations (the opposite of this). Still I think this is a much better film, it works on all the levels that 'BOSSES' didn't. Ignore the critics and the haters, this movie is doing huge box office for a good reason; it's actually a good film!
Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy team up for this road trip/buddy comedy film directed by Seth Gordon (who also directed the hit comedy films 'HORRIBLE BOSSES' and 'FOUR CHRISTMASES'). It was written by Jerry Eeten and Craig Mazin (who also co-wrote 'THE HANGOVER PART II' and 'III' and 'SCARY MOVIE 3' and '4') and tells the story of a man who goes after the woman who stole his identity. He tries to make a citizen's arrest (because the police are useless) and bring her home with him, from Miami to Denver (She of course doesn't want to go peacefully). I went to see this movie with pretty low expectations (having heard a lot of negative reviews on the film, despite it's immense popularity) and was pleasantly surprised.
Bateman plays Sandy Peterson, a businessman in Denver who's struggling to get by and make enough money to support his wife (Amanda Peet) and two daughters (Mary-Charles and Maggie Elizabeth Jones). For multiple years in a row his asshole boss (Jon Favreau) has refused to give his employees bonuses despite the fact that he's getting a huge one himself (Gordon seems to have a big problem with bosses). Peterson's co-workers, lead by Daniel Casey (John Cho), want to leave the company and start their own business because of this. They ask Sandy to join them and he accepts. Things look up for Peterson for once until he finds out that a woman in Miami, Diana (McCarthy), has stolen his identity, ran up a huge amount of debt in his name and gotten him in some legal trouble. Detective Reilly (Morris Chestnut) makes Sandy aware of this but says there's nothing the police can really do about it. So Sandy decides to travel to Miami and bring Diana back to authorities in Denver (by lying to her and saying he just wants to clear things up at his work but won't pursue any legal charges against her). Diana is much more trouble than she appears to be and won't go with Sandy without a fight. They spend the rest of the film on the road together being pursued by two criminals (T.I. and the gorgeous Genesis Rodriguez, one of my new favorites) and a bounty hunter (Robert Patrick), who all want Diana as well. They of course bond in the process.
The movie is a lot funnier than the trailers make it out to be (thanks in large part to Bateman and McCarthy's performances) and the emotional drama of the film is surprisingly effective as well. While there is a fair amount of slapstick and over the top hijinks the characters still seem very real and relatable and by the end of the film you really learn to care for them. I think Jason Bateman has one of the best straight man routines in Hollywood and his delivery here (like always) is perfect. I've never been a big fan of McCarthy's and actually thought this movie looked horrible because of her but she actually gives a really strong and likable performance in it. She is extremely annoying for a lot of the film but she grows on you and gets you to feel for her as well (she's a surprisingly good actress). I was pretty disappointed with Bateman and Gordon's previous collaboration ('HORRIBLE BOSSES') but I went into it with really high expectations (the opposite of this). Still I think this is a much better film, it works on all the levels that 'BOSSES' didn't. Ignore the critics and the haters, this movie is doing huge box office for a good reason; it's actually a good film!
Melissa McCarthy does it again...
taylorkingston24 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I love this movie, even though it got bad all the way to terrible reviews. I honestly don't trust other peoples reviews, as they don't have the exact same taste as I do. Which kind of makes reviewing movies and TV shows irrelevant, but it's fun and I hope I help people pick a great movie or TV show to watch.
This movie is about a man, Sandy Patterson, who gets his identity stolen by a woman. He risks being fired, so he goes to track her down and bring her back. Which leads to a very funny hour and a half.
Overall, I give this movie a 9 out of 10, which in my ratings book is: Amazing.
This movie is about a man, Sandy Patterson, who gets his identity stolen by a woman. He risks being fired, so he goes to track her down and bring her back. Which leads to a very funny hour and a half.
Overall, I give this movie a 9 out of 10, which in my ratings book is: Amazing.
Bateman and McCarthy Funny Chemistry!
ShelbyTMItchell15 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
A fun time movie as Jason Bateman is the perfect straight man with Melissa McCarthy stealing every scene she is in.
As she plays a, you guess it...identity thief who steals everybody she gets her hands on everybody's IDs that she can. And really does not think and ignore the lives she is affecting.
As Bateman's mild mannered family man character, is not just looking at jail time but also with facing the loss of his new job after he and some friends started their own company.
There he finds out who McCarthy is and has one week to get her back from Fla to his hometown in Denver, CO. And he thinks that she looks harmless enough...well WRONG! As she proves more problems for him as he is at his wit's end and could lose everything. And plus there are more DANGEROUS thieves out for McCarthy and to a lesser extent Bateman.
Still a great time and really Bateman and McCarthy make a funny couple as hope that they can reunite again for another funny movie.
As she plays a, you guess it...identity thief who steals everybody she gets her hands on everybody's IDs that she can. And really does not think and ignore the lives she is affecting.
As Bateman's mild mannered family man character, is not just looking at jail time but also with facing the loss of his new job after he and some friends started their own company.
There he finds out who McCarthy is and has one week to get her back from Fla to his hometown in Denver, CO. And he thinks that she looks harmless enough...well WRONG! As she proves more problems for him as he is at his wit's end and could lose everything. And plus there are more DANGEROUS thieves out for McCarthy and to a lesser extent Bateman.
Still a great time and really Bateman and McCarthy make a funny couple as hope that they can reunite again for another funny movie.
Wow..get a grip people.
smmetovic4 August 2021
Full disclosure, rated 10/10 to offset some 1/10 reviews. The movie is not intended to be an Oscar nominee. The story is fine, the characters are good, and the movie plays out in a fun way. It's not the best movie I've ever seen, but it does the job when you're sitting at home, and want to watch something silly and funny. It's a good film. Don't let the negative reviews put you off from watching. Honestly, I don't know what some people expected from this film?
This Movie Sucked
rjk54116 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the worst movies I have seen in my life. The only saving grace was Justin Bateman's and his on-screen wife's portrayal of their characters. The plot was completely unrealistic...a financial person not realizing immediately that his I.D. was stolen when he got a call from Florida and he was 1,000 miles away? The police arresting him based on a license plate that had nothing to do with the crimes committed? It went from the unrealistic to a ten on my "this is stupid" scale. My wife and I both asked each other when the comedy was going to start or at least when the decent acting was going to begin. McCarthy needs to stick to stand up, because she is horrible as a screen actress based upon this performance.
I do have to say though, that I admire the Bateman character for not literally beating his foible's (McCarthy's character) face to a pulp, be she female or other. This movie stank: the plot-line stank, the script stank, and most of the acting stank (again, except for Bateman). Don't waste your money...no not even when it comes out in Red Box. My pickle was the only thing that made this trip to the theater worth-while.
I do have to say though, that I admire the Bateman character for not literally beating his foible's (McCarthy's character) face to a pulp, be she female or other. This movie stank: the plot-line stank, the script stank, and most of the acting stank (again, except for Bateman). Don't waste your money...no not even when it comes out in Red Box. My pickle was the only thing that made this trip to the theater worth-while.
Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy do their best in the somewhat entertaining Identity Thief
tavm11 February 2013
Just saw this with my movie theatre-working friend. We both enjoyed it but I have to admit, I found the whole thing a little uneven in trying to get laughs before then making it a little more like a rehabilitating of both lead characters for dramatic purpose. Still, Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy do earn their laughs and some tears at the way their characters change and I also liked Eric Stonestreet's supporting role here. Maybe it could have done without those villains chasing Ms. McCarthy's character for whatever reason as I didn't find them very useful here. But, all in all, Identity Thief wasn't a complete waste of time for me so on that note, it's worth a look.
Bateman and McCarthy Make a Charismatic Couple
zardoz-1322 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Jason Bateman contended with social media as a concerned father in the dramatic movie "Disconnect" where he discovered that his misfit son tried to commit suicide as a result of pictures that his teenaged son had posted on the Internet. Now, Bateman plays another father in "Horrible Bosses" director Seth Gordon's improbably but entertaining fish-out-of-water comedy "Identity Thief" with Melissa McCarthy. Bateman is cast as father who loses his identity to a clever con artist. McCarthy plays the eponymous character with gusto. "Scary Movie 3" scenarist Craig Mazin and Gordon have a field day pitting straight-laced Bateman against the comical McCarthy and humiliating him at every turn. Eventually, these two emerge as an odd couple. The ways they change during the course of the movie make "Identity Thief" an engaging laffer. You've got to love comedy, tolerate profanity, and resign yourself to sexually offensive situations to be able to laugh off what transpires. While McCarthy hams it up as the cunning Diana, Bateman delivers a flawless, deadpan performance as a well-meaning milquetoast. Morris Chestnut, Jon Favreau, John Cho, Robert Patrick, Eric Stonestreet, and Jonathan Banks contribute strong supporting performances.
This madcap comedy of errors finds our clueless, chumpster hero leaving his pregnant wife (Amanda Peet) and two daughters in comfortable Denver, Colorado, to cruise south to Winter Park, Florida, where he hopes to persuade a gluttonous identity thief, Diana (Melissa McCarthy), to accompany him back to the City of the Plains. Sandy Bigelow Patterson (Jason Bateman of ") answers the phone one day and makes the fatal mistake of divulging his full name, birthday, and social security number to eponymous villainess who is posing as a computer security associate. No sooner does our upstanding family guy protagonist track down his identity thief than he winds up helping her flee from two, gun-toting, Hispanic narcotics dealers. Diana conspired with Marisol (Genesis Rodriguez) and Julian (Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. of "The Hangover") to forge credit cards for them and their crime boss. During their escape, Patterson claps handcuffs on her a la "The 39 Steps," but she extracts herself without difficulty from the cuffs. These two wind up aiding each other while the villains set off in hot pursuit.
Gordon and Mazin raise the ante with various plot complications during the road trip. Diana's association with a notorious, big-time mobster behind bars, Paul (Jonathan Banks of "Beverly Hills Cop") dispatches a hell-bent-for-leather hit man, Skiptracer (Robert Patrick of "Terminator 2"), to eliminate Diana. After Skiptracer abducts Diana, Sandy manages to run them off the road and flip Skiptracer's van. Meantime, a semi-truck demolishes Sandy's car so they appropriate Skiptracer's van. The van overheats on them, and Sandy and Diana find themselves on foot. They wind up lost in the woods and camp out until first light. While Sandy tries to sleep, a snake slithers up one pants-leg. The snake scene in the woods will keep you laughing, even if the snake is CGI. Watching Diana trying to drive the serpent off with a flame stick is amusing, too. However, things turn truly zany when the snake bites Sandy on the neck! Diana's favorite move is to smash her adversary's throat with her fist.
The chief problem with "Identity Thief" is its messy morality. Our protagonist tells his daughter that bad behavior is punishable, but he engages in such antics. Meanwhile, as much as our heroine tries to change her stripes, she never entirely renounces her amoral ways. At least one plot line involving Jonathan Banks' incarnated criminal is never taken advantage of and the fates of three villains sent to kill McCarthy are left unraveled. McCarthy's shenanigans and Bateman's straight-arrow businessman and the charisma that they impart salvage this saga.
This madcap comedy of errors finds our clueless, chumpster hero leaving his pregnant wife (Amanda Peet) and two daughters in comfortable Denver, Colorado, to cruise south to Winter Park, Florida, where he hopes to persuade a gluttonous identity thief, Diana (Melissa McCarthy), to accompany him back to the City of the Plains. Sandy Bigelow Patterson (Jason Bateman of ") answers the phone one day and makes the fatal mistake of divulging his full name, birthday, and social security number to eponymous villainess who is posing as a computer security associate. No sooner does our upstanding family guy protagonist track down his identity thief than he winds up helping her flee from two, gun-toting, Hispanic narcotics dealers. Diana conspired with Marisol (Genesis Rodriguez) and Julian (Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. of "The Hangover") to forge credit cards for them and their crime boss. During their escape, Patterson claps handcuffs on her a la "The 39 Steps," but she extracts herself without difficulty from the cuffs. These two wind up aiding each other while the villains set off in hot pursuit.
Gordon and Mazin raise the ante with various plot complications during the road trip. Diana's association with a notorious, big-time mobster behind bars, Paul (Jonathan Banks of "Beverly Hills Cop") dispatches a hell-bent-for-leather hit man, Skiptracer (Robert Patrick of "Terminator 2"), to eliminate Diana. After Skiptracer abducts Diana, Sandy manages to run them off the road and flip Skiptracer's van. Meantime, a semi-truck demolishes Sandy's car so they appropriate Skiptracer's van. The van overheats on them, and Sandy and Diana find themselves on foot. They wind up lost in the woods and camp out until first light. While Sandy tries to sleep, a snake slithers up one pants-leg. The snake scene in the woods will keep you laughing, even if the snake is CGI. Watching Diana trying to drive the serpent off with a flame stick is amusing, too. However, things turn truly zany when the snake bites Sandy on the neck! Diana's favorite move is to smash her adversary's throat with her fist.
The chief problem with "Identity Thief" is its messy morality. Our protagonist tells his daughter that bad behavior is punishable, but he engages in such antics. Meanwhile, as much as our heroine tries to change her stripes, she never entirely renounces her amoral ways. At least one plot line involving Jonathan Banks' incarnated criminal is never taken advantage of and the fates of three villains sent to kill McCarthy are left unraveled. McCarthy's shenanigans and Bateman's straight-arrow businessman and the charisma that they impart salvage this saga.
Great film
brandonneicke15 July 2020
No Laughs at all
SnoopyStyle17 January 2014
Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman) is a mild mannered investment banker with a wife, 2 kids, and another one on the way. Melissa McCarthy plays the thief who steals his identity and create havoc in his life. He is forced to go get her if he wants his good name back.
The first half isn't funny at all. McCarthy is just playing an ugly person and gets no laughs for it. Bateman is pathetic. When they meet in Florida, the road trip should bring some laughs. Yet it doesn't. Eric Stonestreet tries very hard, but the chemistry isn't there. Through it all, we know that McCarthy is lying and Bateman is too stupid to know it.
Then there is the serious side of the story. Identity thief is a very serious concept. The first half is actually more disturbing than anything else. In the second half, McCarthy actually brings a bit of humanity to her role. It's an improvement but logic problems are too great. There is a better way to do this movie, but there are no laughs in this one.
The first half isn't funny at all. McCarthy is just playing an ugly person and gets no laughs for it. Bateman is pathetic. When they meet in Florida, the road trip should bring some laughs. Yet it doesn't. Eric Stonestreet tries very hard, but the chemistry isn't there. Through it all, we know that McCarthy is lying and Bateman is too stupid to know it.
Then there is the serious side of the story. Identity thief is a very serious concept. The first half is actually more disturbing than anything else. In the second half, McCarthy actually brings a bit of humanity to her role. It's an improvement but logic problems are too great. There is a better way to do this movie, but there are no laughs in this one.
McCarthy Shines once more
gibbs-1817212 February 2020
The title says it all, the casting of Melissa Mccarthy says a lot more. You don't get many raspberries when this gem of lady is lead.
I enjoyed the slapstick laughter, yes it's very predictable etc. But the stunts are not and when they happen it's belly laugh time.
Want to smile, download this pleasure.
I enjoyed the slapstick laughter, yes it's very predictable etc. But the stunts are not and when they happen it's belly laugh time.
Want to smile, download this pleasure.
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