Identity Thief Blu-ray Review
By: MattInRC
Does the road trip Blu-ray comedy Identity Thief on Blu-ray inspire us to do the same, or punch us in the throat like many of McCarthy's victims?
The disappointing Identity Thief arrives onto Blu-ray with more of a thud and in need of a rest stop
The Movie - 2.5/5
The new Jason Bateman/Melissa McCarthy comedy Identity Thief is something close to a sandwich that one loses a taste for soon after ordering it. Stacked high with well-intentioned comedic zaniness and surrounded by freshly-baked acting goodness, the film follows the straight-laced Colorado father Sandy (Jason Bateman, Arrested Development) as he loses - then gains back - his identity from Florida grifter Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids). McCarthy plays Diana, an overweight (big surprise) compulsive liar who's made a living by ruining the credit of others. She steals identities, then spends the victim into prison, all because her family abandoned her at an early age. Society dislikes fat people, and every rejection she endures fuels yet another effort to discredit the good names of hard-working, normal-looking people. As circumstance forces our duo to buddy up for a Mea Culpa drive back to Colorado, they must deal with a grizzly bounty hunter (Robert Patrick, Gangster Squad) and two hitmen hired to bring Diana back in a body bag.
Early on, the script by Writer Craig Mazin (Hangover II) looks compelling, as we witness evidence of a class war being waged between Sandy and his one-percent boss Harold Cornish (Jon Favreau, Swingers). But Hollywood consistently demonstrates its hatred for all things unique, and soon Identity Thief becomes more of a story about restoring order and taming McCarthy's wild behavior while wrapped around a standard road trip comedy. The biggest problem here is the increasingly uncomfortable attitude the film takes towards McCarthy's weight; it's clear that Hollywood is molding her into nothing less than a female John Candy for us to mock. How many fat-people movies will we have to endure before she too burns out as Candy did? Bateman suffers a different but no less unpopular pigeon-hole attachment, as he plays yet another straight man to an over-the-top comedian. He's consistently good in these roles, but I'd love to see him stretch his wings ala Pepper Brooks in Dodgeball (yes, that was him). Director Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses) allows both leads to ad-lib often, but the result turns our Act I genuine laughter into nervous reactions by Act II. We all know the bad girl will be tamed but not before each will teach the each other valuable lessons before the credits roll, and Gordon is content to ride this story anywhere it wants to go, including into BoringsVille.
The Video - 3/5
Identity Thief comes complete with an MPEG-4/AVC 1080p transfer that's solid but uninspiring. Colors are acceptable, yet contrast issues blot out some daytime outdoor backgrounds. Skin colors are lifelike and black levels are good; yet shadows are also problematic. The problem arises mostly in night scenes, blurring any detail into instant black. Another issue I noticed included crush in certain scnes, which seems odd considering Universal's usual total commitment to its home releases. However, clarity is very good, with detail on clothing and hair present throughout the print. There's just enough grain to speak of, and any banding, aliasing, or edge enhancement are not present. Final verdict: decent but nothing more.
The Audio - 2.5/5
Universal's Identity Thief arrives with an uninspiring DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, that isn't anywhere near aggressive or immersive as one would like. Sure, dialogue is intelligible, with the forward speakers doing their part. But, it's the lack of a true surround field in the rear speakers that disappoints. The film wasn't meant to be a pulse-pounding, action packed excursion; yet what we get is a limp effort from a studio known for its usually terrific audio. Sure, the film does have a lot of dialogue in it, but when most of the activity is occurring in the front speakers only, you know that more could have been done. On a couple of occasions, the LFE and surround get a chance to play, keeping the score here from dropping any lower.
Supplements - 2.5/5
Identity Thief sports only a smattering of features, none of which are worth your time:
Theatrical and Unrated Cuts (1080p): The Blu-ray edition includes the 112-minute theatrical version and an extended 121-minute unrated cut. The extra minutes don't help the film.
The Making of Identity Thief (17 minutes): In a typical EPX, the cast and crew gather to discuss the film. It's the best of the supplements, which isn't saying much.
Scene Stealing (8 minutes): Actors Bateman and McCarthy are featured.
Alternate Takes (5 minutes): If you need any proof that much of the comedy here was ad-libbed, watch this featurette for proof.
The Skiptracer's Van Tour (4 minutes): Actor Robert Patrick hosts a tour of his character's van.
Gag Reel (1 minute): This all-too short featurette is boring.
Our evaluation copy from Universal is the same you can buy in the store, as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack with Digital Copy and Ultraviolet. The slipcase is embossed but there's no interior artwork.
The Bottom Line - 2.5/5
Identify Thief is well-intentioned but ultimately fails as typical brainless Hollywood comedic fare. McCarthy and Bateman are their pigeon-holed comedic selves, relegated to operating in tightly-contained boxes as their characters go through the typical motions of loss and restoration. With a script whose path becomes apparent far too early, Identity Thief's fat jokes and ad-libbing soon become painful distractions, leading to an ending that we've seen far too many times. By then, we've been been throat-punched and cleaned out of any credit we've accumulated with these characters. The home release is merely average to disappointing throughout, thus contributing to a release you might want to skip for purchase; instead, test the rental market to see if it's worth your time.
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