Identity Thief - C+

Rated R, 105 minutes

Likable "Identity Thief" a mildly entertaining but uneven comedy

As much as you'd hate getting your identity stolen, you won't end up hating the likable but uneven and unoriginal new comedy "Identity Thief." It provides some decent laughs though it suffers from some identity problems of its own. Florida resident Diana (Melissa McCarthy) has a luxurious lifestyle, thanks to the many identities she's stolen, including straight-laced Denver businessman and family man with the unisex name, Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman). The real Sandy sets out to track down Diana and bring her home to clear his name, and it becomes an unlikely adventure for them both. Directed by Seth Gordon, who helmed the Bateman comedy "Horrible Bosses," the overlong "Identity Thief" is a genial, entertaining comedy whose slightly mean-spirited, sharper first half works better than its mushy second half. In essentially another buddy-buddy road trip film, it helps that the game McCarthy and Bateman are a decent comic pairing, even if the thin premise shows some wear and tear by the time it gets to its overly sentimental, predictable climax. McCarthy and Bateman are also serviceable comic actors, though it's clear the two are becoming typecast: Bateman as the put-upon mensch, and McCarthy as the tough-as-nails broad with a heart, or an extension of her Megan character from her breakout, Oscar-nominated role in "Bridesmaids." On the good side, "Identity Thief" provides a few silly laughs and isn't as obnoxious or low-brow as it's being marketed, with its R rating for a few curse words uttered by McCarthy, but on the down side it isn't all that original or clever, either. "Identity Thief" isn't terrible by any means, and it succeeds on the level of crowd-pleasing but forgettable comedy. Worth a look if you need a quick fix of laughs.

Wes's Grade: C+