IDENTITY THIEF

Our favorite loose cannonball these days is Melissa McCarthy, one of the rare women in Hollywood getting a chance to put the mirth in girth. After hijacking Bridesmaids from female comedians with higher profiles and lower body fat counts, McCarthy has been, if you'll pardon the expression, on a roll.

Later this year she'll steal scenes from Sandra Bullock in the cop comedy The Heat, but for now McCarthy is an Identity Thief (R), with Jason Bateman as her victim. Identity Thief's screenplay is solely credited to Craig Mazin (The Hangover, Part II) but the idea originated six years ago with Osceola Fundamental High School teacher Jerry Eeten. He gets co-credit for the story, suggesting Mazin made numerous changes to Eeten's idea. One was certainly switching the thief's gender to female so McCarthy could be cast.

Bateman plays Sandy Patterson, a Denver businessman whose credit is hacked by a scam artist (McCarthy) he tracks to Florida - although the movie was chiefly filmed in Georgia. The usual road movie shenanigans ensue, but McCarthy and Bateman should be able to make them bawdier and fresher than usual.

A review of Identity Thief will be published at tampabay.com and on Etc., Page 2B.