Identity Thief (2013)
Directed by Seth Gordon
When a mild-mannered businessman learns his identity has been stolen, he hits the road in an attempt to foil the thief -- a trip that puts him in the path of a deceptively harmless-looking woman.
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4 films that influenced Identity Thief
What critics say influenced Identity Thief
It worked wonders for " The Hangover ," whose runaway success has spawned any number of copycat films in recent years.
But Craig Mazin’s screenplay can’t seem to decide if she is the lovable buffoon (a la Zach Galifianakis in The Hangover) or the devious trickster.
In recent years, perhaps only Zach Galifianakis in "The Hangover" has had a comparable impact.
Identity Thief is scripted by Craig Mazin — known for writing sequels to The Hangover and Scary Movie — but the idea came from a six-year-old screenplay by Jerry Eeten, a Pinellas County high school teacher.
But because Identity Thief was plotted by Craig Mazin – whose screenwriting credits include two Scary Movie sequels, two Hangover sequels and Superhero Movie -- we instead plunge headlong into the improbable and flail around in search of broad comedy.
The script by Craig Mazin (of the “Hangover” and “Scary Movie” series) is a tortured exercise in high-concept hokum, one set piece barely linked to the next.
Which makes it all the more painful when this trio works off a screenplay by Craig Mazin ("The Hangover: Part II," "Scary Movie" 3 and 4) and ends up reaching for comic fruit that's hanging so low, it's essentially gathering flies on the ground.
But then this is a script from the comic genius behind "The Hangover Part II," "Scary Movie" parts 3 and 4, and probably a few more awful sequels to come.
A sloppy script from Craig Mazin (some of the mid-”Scary Movie” franchise and the lackluster “Hangover II”) shows no sense of character, and dragged-out direction from Seth Gordon (the wonderful “King of Kong” and the hideously awful “Four Christmases”) shows no understanding of comic momentum.
If the Jason Bateman-Melissa McCarthy comedy “Identity Thief” isn’t the worst Hollywood comedy ever made, that’s only because it lacks the spark of conviction and genius – the thoroughly misguided belief in itself – that distinguishes something like Adam Sandler’s “Grown Ups.”
Jason Bateman is always likable and usually pretty funny, Melissa McCarthy was hilarious in “Bridesmaids,” director Seth Gordon, along with Bateman, made the above-average comedy “Horrible Bosses,” and the concept of identity theft has some untapped potential for edgy comedy.
A screenplay by "The Hangover Part II" and "Scary Movie 3 & 4" writer Craig Mazin and generic execution by "Horrible Bosses" director Seth Gordon combine for a paint-by-numbers affair in the image of the aforementioned films with numerals in the title.
Written by Craig Mazin ("The Hangover Part II") and directed by Seth Gordon ("Horrible Bosses"), "Identity Thief" borrows too much from the likes of "Midnight Run" and "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" without giving enough back -- especially since "Due Date" already went that route quite recently.
Director Seth Gordon's previous feature, Horrible Bosses , wasn't an apex of comedy, but it contained enough clever moments to make it worthwhile.
Seth Gordon's action-comedy follow-up to Horrible Bosses proves far from perfect but ultimately difficult to resist, thanks to McCarthy and co-lead Jason Bateman.
Director Seth Gordon (“Horrible Bosses,” “Four Christmases”) works within the Judd Apatowian safe zone, doling out crudity spiced with a few sentimental bits.