Ten years after it hit theaters, theMelissa McCarthyand Jason Bateman-ledIdentity Thiefis having a moment of resurgence. The 2013 film follows Sandy Patterson (Bateman), whose identity is stolen by a con artist (McCarthy). Patterson decides to take a road trip (from Denver to Florida) to confront her and clear his name. With a cast that includes the comedic prowess of Emmy Award winners McCarthy and Bateman, the film was slated to be a success. Only it wasn’t. Despite being a box office hit, critics despised the film; they called it offensive, putrid, and mean-spirited, with one even urging audiences not to allow the movie to steal two hours of their time. The film currently holds a lackluster 19% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fast-forward to the present time andIdentity Thiefis now on top ofNetflix’s streaming charts. According to the streamer, Identity Thief is No. 9 on their list of Top 10 most-viewed English language films from October 2 through October 8, with 3.9 million viewers and 7.3 million hours watched. The list is topped by the newly releasedReptile, starring Benicio del Toro and Alicia Silverstone, but two other 2013 films also made the cut:Life of a KingandLast Vegas(the oldest film on the list is 2004’sMean Girls).
Identity Thiefwas directed by Seth Gordon and written by Craig Mazin from a story by Mazin and Jerry Eeten. Bateman was attached to the project before McCarthy, and while the film was initially meant to feature a male con artist, Bateman pushed for a change. In an interview withCollider, he shared:
“I went to the premiere of Bridesmaids, and the following morning, I picked up the phone and called Universal and Scott Stuber, one of the other producers on the film, and said, ‘I’d really like to work with this woman. Can we please change the thief from a guy to a girl and make it Melissa?’ They could not have liked the idea better, and they said, ‘Why don’t you see if you can go get her?’ Fortunately, it was the premiere. It was not yet in America’s hands, so we still had a chance at her. So, I took her out for a quick meal and had her sign something while she was passed out from the booze.”
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Melissa McCarthy & Jason Bateman’s Post Identity Thief Projects
Despite disappointing critics withIdentity Thief, McCarthy and Bateman went on to quickly redeem themselves through appearancesin critically praised projects.
In 2014, McCarthy appeared in the comedy-dramaSt. Vincent, alongside Bill Murray, Jaeden Lieberher, Naomi Watts, Chris O’Dowd, and Terrence Howard. The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and was voted second runner-up for the People’s Choice Award. While the film was not exactly a box office success, it was lauded by critics. In 2015, she led Paul Feig’s spy action comedySpy, which became a major hit at the box office and with critics (the film currently holds a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes).
In 2018, McCarthy starred in the autobiographical filmCan You Ever Forgive Me?The film earned numerous accolades, including an Academy Award nomination for McCarthy.
On television, McCarthy earned multiple Emmy Award nominations for her role inMike & Molly, and in 2016, returned to reprise the role of Sookie St. James in the anticipatedGilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
Bateman meanwhile appeared in Joel Edgerton’s 2015 psychological thrillerThe Gift. The triumphant film was a change of pace for Bateman, who typically acted in comedies. The following year, Bateman appeared in the animatedZootopia, voicing the character of Nick Wilde, a red fox who is a small-time con artist. The film earned high marks from critics and audiences alike.
From 2017 until 2022,Bateman starred in Netflix’sOzark, a crime drama series created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams and starring Bateman, Laura Linney, and Julia Garner. Throughout its run, the series received 45 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, with Bateman winning for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in 2019. Bateman also received two Golden Globe Award nominations for portraying Martin Byrde.
