Being John Malkovich & 3 comedies that are low-key horror movies

2. Identity Thief (2013)

If you had no idea about the plot of this film you would assume it was a thriller or perhaps a Sci-Fi flick. However, you would be wrong. Identity Thief is a cute comedy starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy.

Sandy Patterson (Bateman) purchases identity theft protection from con artist Diana (McCarthy) who then steals his vital information. The movie isn’t funny to begin with, but what makes matters worse is how they portray this terrifying crime as if it is a joke.

McCarthy’s Diana is a deceptively harmless looking woman who the screenwriters try to make endearing and charming. Her character is anything but, especially when she is in the process of ruining a person’s life.

Patterson attempts to track her down running into one “hilarious” situation after another. In the process, he is arrested for a missed court date and his boss is questioned about him “purchasing” drugs. Of course, will all this going on, he is forced to track down Diana on his own because apparently, the police can’t do it.

So, the horror isn’t as apparent and it’s not as scary as the other films on the list, but getting your identity stolen can literally ruin your entire life. Which is definitely not a laughing matter.

Not to mention that Diana is sort of stalking Sandy which is another terrifying scenario. However, it really is all about the presentation. In another director’s hands, Brian De Palma or Ridley Scott, this would have been a totally different picture. Probably, one that would have lingering effects.