Frauds, scams and automobiles
Identity Thief
Starring Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, Amanda Peet, Robert Patrick, Genesis Rodriguez, T.I., Jon Favreau. Screenplay by Craig Mazin, directed by Seth Gordon. 111 minutes, rated M (violence, offensive language, sex scenes). Showing at Reading Cinemas Porirua.
OK, let’s start off on a positive. Identity Thief, is not – God help us – one of those comedies where the main characters switch bodies for 90 minutes. Though Jason Bateman has already done one of those ( The Change-Up), but I wouldn’t have put it past Hollywood to again dip its bucket in that barren well.
No, Identity Thief is one of those odd couple roadtrip movies that worships at the altar of John Hughes’ 1987 comedy classic Planes, Trains & Automobiles ( 1987). While there’s nothing fresh in this caper about a mildmannered bean-counter who has his personal details swindled by a crass uber- consumer for credit card fraud, if you’re going to borrow, might as well borrow from the best.
Bateman assumes the Steve Martin- style uptight straight man, Sandy Patterson, whose job security and family home are threatened when the cops comes knocking. Someone has been ringing up bad debt in his name and has links to drug dealers.
The plotting contrives a familiar comedy set-up; Sandy has one week to find the imposter in Florida and have her return with him to Denver to confess her fraud, or else he’s fired.
But Diana (Melissa McCarthy) proves to be quite the handful. Not only is she adept at punching to the throat and road rage, but the bolshy, mischief- making, chronic liar makes for an abrasive companion across six states.
Diane is a roman candle going off in Sandy’s calm, orderly world.
If fighting among themselves wasn’t enough, there are Colombian drug dealers and a redneck bounty hunter (Robert Patrick) on their tail.
Melissa McCarthy, a television staple for many years, hit big screen paydirt in Bridesmaids. She is a funny, versatile actress – even here, when she subtly reveals depths to lonely, troubled Diana – and thankfully her plussize weight is rarely the punchline.
But Identity Thief relies heavily on hackneyed physical goofs to grab laughs from movie-goers.
For every exuberant, genuinely funny gag there are 10 tired misfires. I had the same complaint with director Seth Gordon’s last picture, Horrible Bosses, yet his TV resume oozes offbeat repartee ( The Office, Parks & Recreation, Modern Family). Go figure. It’s unfortunate McCarthy seems to have been called upon to recycle her bawdy bridesmaid in every American comedy slated for release. Likewise, Bateman has become Hollywood’s go-to straight man.
His timing for snide remarks and polite putdowns is impeccable, but anyone who recalls his demented commentator in Dodgeball will lament his safe big screen choices since.