Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman: what could possibly be bad about these two making a rated R comedy together? The answer is nothing. In Identity Thief, McCarthy plays Diana, the big-haired woman who steals the identity of Sandy Patterson (Bateman). Identity theft seems like something the police or the bank should resolve for you, right? Well, things get interesting when Bateman’s family-oriented character takes matters into his own hands, going to Winter Park, Florida in hopes of catching his imposter who has taken advantage of his notably feminine name. The movie, featuring McCarthy’s first starring role, opened with $34.6 million in sales the first three days, even higher than her debut in Bridesmaids.
Identity Thief may have received average ratings from critics, but I loved the way the movie showcased McCarthy’s character commitment. She was pure perfection from beginning to end in this movie, and she’s definitely the only person who could play someone who steals a hardworking man’s identity and then makes you like her. She might also be the only identity thief ever to make friends with her victim. Of course, the role of Sandy is perfect for Bateman who used what Entertainment Weekly calls his “patented contained exasperation” to its fullest in Identity Thief. Basically, Bateman and McCarthy are the genius pair you never knew you wanted to see make a movie together. If you thought McCarthy’s performance as Megan from Bridesmaids was just playing off of Kristen Whig’s comedic chops, Identity Thief will prove you wrong. Melissa McCarthy can definitely hold her own.
The other amazing thing about this movie? Eric Stonestreet (Cam from Modern Family) as “Big Chuck”. If you don’t think he’s hilarious in this movie, then there might be something wrong with you. Another unexpected surprise is that Identity Thief actually gets kind of intense, physically and emotionally. It’s a lot different from Bridesmaids in that way, and I loved every minute of it. Identity Thief is the perfect movie to watch when you just need a good laugh, and it’s great for girls’ night, too.