OVERVIEW: A mild-mannered businessman and the spend-happy con woman who stole his identity embark on an uproarious, cross-country road trip in the number one comedy blockbuster Identity Thief, available on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand June 4, 2013, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Identity Thief’s fearlessly funny stars – Jason Bateman (Horrible Bosses) and Emmy® winner Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) – charmed critics and audiences alike with their off-the-wall outrageous banter. Directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses), Identity Thief also features an all-star ensemble cast including Jon Favreau (Iron Man series), Amanda Peet (2012), Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris (American Gangster), Genesis Rodriguez (What to Expect When You’re Expecting), John Cho (Harold & Kumar series), Robert Patrick (Safe House) and Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”). 

Both the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD include an unrated, extended version of the film featuring exclusive footage not shown in theaters, as well as a gag reel and making of the featurette with interviews with the film’s creators and cast. Exclusive to the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack are bonus features including alternate takes, a behind-the-scenes featurette highlighting the stars’ unique comedic contributions and an insider tour with one of the movie’s most memorable characters. 

SYNOPSIS: Jason Bateman (Horrible Bosses) and Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) lead an all-star cast in this hilarious blockbuster hit. Unlimited funds have allowed Diana (McCarthy) to live it up on the outskirts of Orlando. There’s only one glitch: she’s financing her shopping sprees with an ID stolen from Sandy Patterson (Bateman), an accounts rep who lives halfway across the U.S. With only one week to hunt down the con artist before his world implodes, the real Sandy Patterson is forced to extreme measures to clear his name. 

FILM REVIEW: Director Seth Gordon, who is no newbie to the comedy genre, teams up with [re-]writer, Craig Mazin (The Hangover Part II & [supposedly Hangover III]). Gordon, also known for being part of the team that brought us breakout hits such as Horrible Bosses and Four Christmases, has made a slam-dunk with this latest production. Identity Thief is amazingly a side-splitting; Laugh out loud, comedy that is most certainly the hit of 2013.

Jason Bateman (Horrible Bosses, 2011) headlines this one as an “all about his family, type of guy” and corporate middleman Sandy Patterson whom, unfortunately, has his identity stolen by a scheming Floridian con-artist played by Melissa McCarthy. As his finances implode and his credit crumbles, he decides to fly from Denver to the Sunshine State to retrieve her and have her arrested. Well, as you can imagine with this pair that decision leads to a volatile comedic explosion resulting in an on-screen rip-roaring time. 

The leading lady Melissa McCarthy’s breakout role in the blockbuster comedy Bridesmaids (2011) has set the tone for everything that followed. Though she has appeared in numerous TV comedies including the Gilmore Girls and more recently ABC sitcom Mike and Molly, she seems quite comfortable in the big-screen arena now. She has achieved major success since that breakout role and has often been labeled as the female John Bellushi and John Candy, of today, with her raucous, outlandish, comedic prowess. Subsequently, it’s to no surprise that the comedy dexterity of both McCarthy and Bateman sets up the quality of comedy presented here. I suppose if anybody is going to be able to mix broad comedy with serious criminals who pose a serious threat; these two actors are a good bet, with the comedic timing between the two being extremely precise and on point. 

Rapper-turned-actor, T.I. (Takers, 2010) is in a supporting role playing a sorta’ gangster bounty hunter and does what I believe to be a nicely added touch of grittiness to the flick. In addition, eye candy and local Miami hometown girl, Genesis Rodriguez (What to Expect When You're Expecting, 2011) rounds out the cool cast of players that bring this hilarious outing to full-circle.

I definitely recommend this feature for theater viewing. It’ll have you rolling in your seats from the opening credits to the very end and would most certainly be a nice date-movie. It is absolutely a four star movie (out of five) and I suspect that we haven’t seen the last of this group of misfits. Hint hint!

BLU-RAY: The film is presented in widescreen in a 2.35:1 aspect ration preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good, a 5.1 Dolby Digital in English that provides a good complement to the picture. It also includes  English  and Spanish subtitles.

VIDEO:
Widescreen (2.35:1) 16x9

AUDIO:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Dolby Digital 2.0, French DTS Surround 5.1, Spanish DTS Surround 5.1

Subtitles - English Spanish French

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Blu-ray™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring perfect hi-def picture and hi-def sound. 

DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away. 

Digital Copy provides consumers with a choice of formats from a variety of partners, including options to watch on iPhone®,
iPad®, Android, computers and more.

UltraViolet™ is the revolutionary way for consumers to collect their movies and TV shows in the cloud. UltraViolet™ lets
consumers instantly stream and download to tablets, smartphones, computers and TVs. Now available in both the United States
and Canada.

Scene Stealing: Capturing the Humor of Identity Thief: Inspired by comedy classics Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Midnight Run, Identity Thief brings comedy geniuses Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy together for an unforgettable cross-country journey. 

The Skiptracer’s Van: Robert Patrick, in character as The Skiptracer, details what is important to him, especially his van, which subs as his office, home and perpetrator container. He gives a tour of the exterior, the “deep” interior and the cabin, replete with all of the supplies that he may or may not need. 

Alternate Takes 

Gag Reel

The Making of Identity Thief: Featuring on-set footage and interviews with the filmmakers and the first-class comedic cast, this featurette brings audiences inside the making of the year’s funniest film. 

Unrated and Theatrical Versions of the Film