'Identity Thief' Steals Viewers' Time
By Victoria Pietrus in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 13, 2013 4:45PM
Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy in Identity thief. (Photo credit: Bob Mahoney © 2013 Universal Pictures)
Director Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, Four Christmases) has led a decent, concerted effort with this winter’s post-holiday buddy comedy Identity Thief. However, viewers should question what they’re really laughing about.
Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman star in their by now standard roles—McCarthy as Diana, the over-the-top, gregarious goofball and Bateman as Sandy Bigelow, the straight man with honest-to-goodness family man priorities (understandable given that his hot, generic, and easily placated wife, played by Amanda Peet, is pregnant with their third child).
Imagine Sandy Bigelow’s aplomb and outrage when he goes to put gas in his car and has his card cut up because it’s somehow maxed out. This is because con artist Diana has surreptitiously garnered all his personal information and stolen his “unisex” name via a seemingly innocuous call from her masquerading as a fraud-protection company. The real Sandy Bigelow’s family and career is in peril as a result of her besmirching, criminal behavior, so he must head to Winter Park, Florida (in what is one of the film’s more outlandish plot points) in order to bring her back to Denver, thus clearing his name and allowing him to have the job and financial security of his dreams. They embark on a road trip upset with loads of sight gags and silly behavior.
Bateman is as always a great foil to whomever he opposes—he exhibits the same deadpan commentary and sober, earnest diatribe in favor of the greatest good. It’s McCarthy’s role that I find more troublesome. In this film, she goes to great lengths for what surely she’s been told shows great commitment and integrity to her character—outlandish make-up, unflattering, horrendous clothing, a gratuitous love scene with Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet that’s mostly funny because—oh dear!—big people are having raunchy sex!, physical fighting, and even gets hit by a car.
None of this is (that) offensive, until you realize you’re mostly laughing because she’s plus size. Since when did it become okay to laugh at people for being heavy? Or rather because the funny things they do are funnier since they’re heavy? McCarthy executes these expectations well; whether it was her aggressive, overly sexed, and unattractive role in Bridesmaids or her belligerent, hostile mother role in This is 40, people have come to expect her as a prime and entertaining example of the grotesque.
Undoubtedly, she is successful, and attempts to add some genuine heart, especially at the end of this film in particular. However, it is worrisome that Hollywood, and perhaps mainstream American audiences, are cornering such a talented actor into an archetype of a hyper-aggressive, unappealing, and marginally redemptive role purely because of her body type.
Identity Thief will deliver some laughs and showcases decent acting, but especially in the aftermath of such a spectacular Oscar-heavy late fall/early winter film season, this movie does not hold up well in comparison.
Identity Thief
Directed by Seth Gordon
Written by Craig Manzin, based on a story by Manzin and Jerry Eeten
With Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, Amanda Peet, John Favreau, T.I., Morris Chestnut and Robert Patrick
Running time 112 minutes
Rated R for adult themes, adult activity and hard language.
Now playing in theaters nationwide.