Actors: Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, John Cho, Amanda Peet, Jon Favreau
Directors: Seth Gordon
Rated: R / Unrated
Studio: Universal
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Run Time: 111 / 121 minutes
Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars
When you read that “Identity Thief” is from the director of “Horrible Bosses” and the producer of “Ted”, I figure how can they do wrong. Both of those films are very funny and crowd favorites. “Identity Thief” also reunites Seth Gordon and Jason Bateman and add into the mix everyone’s favorite Melissa McCarthy. She is everyone’s favorite right? I think she was great in “Bridesmaids” but I think that she is getting a little old already. The film has funny moments but overall feels like too much of the Melissa McCarthy show, which is like too much of a good thing. Included on this Blu-ray is both the 111-minute theatrical version and extended 121-minute unrated cut. That leads right into my other point, comedies do not need to be two hours long. What happened to a tight 90-minute comedy?
Official Premise: Jason Bateman (Horrible Bosses) and Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) lead an all-star cast in this hilarious blockbuster hit. Unlimited funds have allowed Diana (McCarthy) to live it up on the outskirts of Orlando. There’s only one glitch: she’s financing her shopping sprees with an ID stolen from Sandy Patterson (Bateman), an accounts rep who lives halfway across the U.S. With only one week to hunt down the con artist before his world implodes, the real Sandy Patterson is forced to extreme measures to clear his name.
Despite the film being a hit or not, Universal still delivered a nice release (as always) with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy combo pack. The digital copies include an Ultraviolet and iTunes codes. The 1080p transfer is clear and sharp, looks as good as a comedy can. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track, which worked well with the comedy. The special features are also a bit of a letdown as well. “The Making of Identity Thief” is a typical behind-the-scenes featurette with cast/crew. “Scene Stealing” focuses on the personas of Bateman and McCarthy. There are five minutes of Alternate Takes with tons of improv from our actors. “The Skiptracer’s Van Tour” takes us on a tour with Robert Patrick. Lastly there is a forgettable gag reel.
