By MacKenzie Linehan
Staff Writer
How could you resist an opportunity to have a good chuckle? They say that laughter is the best medicine, after all.
“Identity Thief,” starring the hilarious Academy Award nominee Melissa McCarthy (“Bridesmaids”) and Jason Bateman (“Horrible Bosses”), takes you on a high-speed adventure that provides sub-par laughs and great entertainment. It also leaves you praying your credit card is safely where you left it.
Sandy Patterson (Bateman) is your average American man. He has a wife, two little girls with another on the way and a decent job with the possibility of promotion. On his way to work one day, he stops to get gas but is faced with a cruel reality — his credit card had been declined. After calling his credit card company to figure out what was wrong, he finds out a complete stranger named Diana (McCarthy) stole his identity.
Diana left him in a huge amount of debt, as well as an arrest warrant in his name. With his family and job in jeopardy, he sets out on a wild goose chase from Denver, Co. to Winter Park, Fla. to find her, clear his name and get his life back to normal.
The road trip back to Denver provides the two with many crazy adventures and terrible run-ins with enemies. There are also scandalous rendezvous with a cowboy played by fellow comedian Eric Stonestreet (“Modern Family”).
Personally I think this scene is a little cringe-worthy, but it was hysterical all the same. I will not provide any more details, but if you see the movie you will most likely agree with me on this one.
When I decided to see the movie, I thought there were definitely going to be more laughs. Come on, Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman? That is the dream team of comedians. But I did enjoy that it was much more than a regular comedy and it did keep my interest until the film ended.
Melissa McCarthy had me laughing throughout the whole movie no matter what she said. She has the magic touch of turning normal words and phrases into jokes, and I will always admire that.
The movie is supposed to be a comedy, but it actually takes a turn for the heart-warming. Along the way, Sandy and Diana not only both change their perspectives on life, but actually end up caring about each other.
The way the ending of the film plays out touched my heart; I even shed a tear or two. But don’t let that fool you — Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy still stick to their goofball ways.
