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. READ FULL IDENTITY THIEF REVIEW >>