Sunday, April 07, 2013
A belated review of the week, my apologies. Although in my defence, this isn't one worth hanging out for... avoid.
Identity Thief (MA 15+)
THE EXPECTATION of a director to succeed again after one film puts them in the spotlight is a fickle thing. For Seth Gordon that came after 2011's Horrible Bosses, which showed his ability to manage a strong, engaging ensemble.
His next film comes two years later with at least one common thread. Jason Bateman, working with Gordon again after the director's success, is a capable leading man. His good comic timing and charm as seen in TV's Arrested Development display his affable nature and ease in front of the screen.
That can be both a blessing and a curse in Hollywood though with the ever-looming fear of the t-word: typecasting. Bateman is Sandy Patterson, an accounts man in Denver not going anywhere in his career but still a happy man with wife Trish (Amanda Peet) and daughters.
Although immersed in the world of finance, he still can't avoid the risk of identity theft and is made a victim by Florida woman Diana (Melissa McCarthy).
The script by Craig Mazin, with story assistance from Jerry Eeten, unravels early as Sandy's fallible plan to get Diana to travel halfway across the United States is fraught with impossible situations. Namely, how you get a stranger to travel with you and explain to your new boss the wrongdoings that they've been living off.
They may not be action heroes, but Sandy and Diana must have strong blood and bones to be alive even by the halfway mark. Especially knowing they're followed by two sets of evil because Diana's in their bad books - the team of Julian (rapper TI) and Marisol (Genesis Rodriguez), and lone ranger Skiptracer (Robert Patrick).
There's so much going on that there isn't really a straight play for the emotions of the audience as the story swings from attempts at comedy (that ultimately fail) to a show of emotional affection. Just as Sandy is confused as to whether he should turn Diana in, the story becomes twisted to the point of exhaustion.
The poor excuse for what they seem to think is backgrounding the bad guys becomes irritating during the long-winded chase; later, the inclusion of a supposed moral as Sandy feels Diana brings out a new side of him returning is even more unbelievable.
Not even Bateman can save this one, but it's McCarthy who really loses out with a character so horrible it's hard to watch. Any real potential chemistry is made void through this alone, a shame for the leading duo who are so much better than this.
Gordon's misfire is not from the near-two-hour running time or casting, but simply that he's unable to make interesting content out of a potentially interesting subject.
Rating: 1.5/5
*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 6/4/2013
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