Actress's talents wasted in dreadful 'Identity'

By Rene Rodriguez
Miami Herald

~~<p>In "Identity Thief," Melissa McCarthy gets smacked in the face with a frying pan, conked on the head with a toaster, run over by a car and suffers a hundred other bits of violent slapstick, and you laugh almost every time. Then the moment passes, and the movie reverts to crummy.</p>
<p>McCarthy has been acting for years, but her popularity blew up after her supporting performance in "Bridesmaids," in which she relieved herself, explosively, in a bathroom sink. She is an immensely likable screen presence who is fearless at making herself look ridiculous, and the combination of her girth and surprising agility recall "Animal House"-era John Belushi. In contemporary Hollywood, she is one of a kind, and how many actresses can say that?</p>
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<td><strong>‘IDENTITY THIEF’</strong><br />
<strong>Rated:</strong> R<br />
<img alt="*" src="http://media.staradvertiser.com/images/bullet_bluestar.gif" /><br />
<i>Opens today</i></td>
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In "Identity Thief," Melissa McCarthy gets smacked in the face with a frying pan, conked on the head with a toaster, run over by a car and suffers a hundred other bits of violent slapstick, and you laugh almost every time. Then the moment passes, and the movie reverts to crummy.

McCarthy has been acting for years, but her popularity blew up after her supporting performance in "Bridesmaids," in which she relieved herself, explosively, in a bathroom sink. She is an immensely likable screen presence who is fearless at making herself look ridiculous, and the combination of her girth and surprising agility recall "Animal House"-era John Belushi. In contemporary Hollywood, she is one of a kind, and how many actresses can say that? ‘IDENTITY THIEF’ Rated: R Opens today Login for more...