As a seasoned gamer who has witnessed the evolution of entertainment over the past few decades, I can confidently say that Melissa McCarthy is one of those rare talents who can make even the most forgettable films feel like a treasure trove of laughter. And while “Identity Thief” may not have been her finest hour, it’s still an entertaining ride, much like playing a mediocre video game and finding joy in the unexpected glitches and goofy Easter eggs hidden within.
Melissa McCarthy has made an impressive journey from her humble beginnings as a cherished supporting actress on “Gilmore Girls.” Her breakout role in the 2011 film “Bridesmaids” as Megan Price, a character renowned for her eccentricity amidst an oddball group of bridesmaids alongside Maya Rudolph’s Lillian, garnered her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Following this recognition, she also won an Emmy for her sitcom “Mike & Molly,” cementing her status as one of Hollywood’s most hilarious actresses. Since then, she has enjoyed numerous critically acclaimed victories; however, one of her comedies, directed by her husband Ben Falcone, did not receive the same level of success.
Released in 2013, “Identity Thief” garnered mixed reviews but proved to be a financial triumph, grossing an impressive $175 million on a budget of just $35 million. However, it’s not one of McCarthy’s most critically acclaimed works. Regardless, the film is generating renewed interest on Netflix, suggesting it’s found a new fanbase years after its initial release. So, what is “Identity Thief” about? The movie follows the story of a man (Jason Bateman) whose identity gets stolen by a con artist (Melissa McCarthy). When critics evaluated the film upon release, their opinions were varied. As for Melissa McCarthy, she has continued her successful acting career since then.
Identity Thief is pretty true to its title — and stars a second comedy legend
Essentially, in the movie “Identity Thief,” a man named Sandy Patterson from Denver, portrayed by Jason Bateman, unwittingly purchases identity theft protection from a swindler named Diana, played by Melissa McCarthy. When Sandy finds out that his identity has been stolen, the police inform him they can’t help because Diana is in Florida. To bring her to justice, he must track her down in the Panhandle State and convince her to travel with him back to Denver by car since they share identical IDs and cannot fly together.
The duo find themselves pursued by a new group of crooks, who Diana had conned using a fraudulent credit card. This only adds to the complexities of their situation. Eventually, Sandy manages to bring them to account, leading to an unusual bond between them, reminiscent of the buddy comedy “Identity Thief”. However, critics were not fond of this humorous heist film by McCarthy and her spouse, as it turned out.
Critics definitely didn’t like Identity Thief when it released in 2013
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film “Identity Thief” receives a disappointingly low rating of 19%, with a general consensus that the movie’s funny moments come primarily from Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman, who work hard to establish a structure for the film’s chaotic plot. Compared to some of the harsher criticisms, this can be considered a relatively mild response; as James White at Empire Magazine put it, “Identity Thief” has a smart concept but lacks the wit in its execution.
Andrew O’Hehir from Salon observed that despite its initial appeal with two charming leads and a potentially engaging plot, the movie “Identity Thief” manages to attain extraordinary levels of laziness and foolishness.
According to Trevor Johnston from Time Out, even the combined talents of McCarthy and Bateman couldn’t salvage the film. In his opinion, the movie unfairly burdened Bateman with a monotonous straight-man character, while subjecting his co-star to a series of slapstick humiliations. On the other hand, Bilge Ebiri from Vulture felt that the movie was amusing enough, but it lacked the necessary darkness, raunchiness, and craziness to meet the expectations set by its star-studded cast. Other critics attempted to find positives, but ultimately couldn’t manage it.
What has Melissa McCarthy been doing since Identity Thief?
The good news here is that, despite the poor critical reception for “Identity Thief,” it didn’t bring down Melissa McCarthy’s career (or Jason Bateman’s, for that matter). That same year, she delivered a much better performance in Paul Feig’s buddy cop comedy “The Heat,” which pairs McCarthy with straight man Sandra Bullock, but in 2014, McCarthy’s husband Ben Falcone delivered another dud disguised as a showcase for his wife with “Tammy.” Thankfully, McCarthy worked with Feig once again for the 2015 spoof “Spy” — one of her best performances to date — and she went on to earn some serious accolades for future projects.
In 2017, McCarthy bagged her second Emmy for her guest roles on “Saturday Night Live,” and the following year, she earned her second Oscar nomination in a decade, playing a markedly distinct con artist compared to her role in “Identity Thief” – the real-life letter forger Lee Israel, whom McCarthy portrayed in Marielle Heller’s acclaimed biopic “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” Since then, she has starred in comedies such as “Thunder Force,” voiced Ursula in the live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid,” revisited Stars Hollow for the revival “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” and is currently featured on Hulu’s popular series “Only Murders in the Building.” It’s evident that her career has not suffered from “Identity Thief” and, in fact, continues to amuse audiences on Netflix.
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2024-09-08 04:00