Identity Thief
Review
Throughout the film, Identity Thief by Seth Gordon, we see several lessons and challenges regarding not only who the characters are but also the lives they created through patterned behavior. Sandy Patterson (male) lived a structured life on the safe side. He had a corporate job, a wife and kids, and was frugal with his money. Until one day when his world imploded due to a woman across the country who stole his identity, Sandy Patterson (also known as Diana). He sought her out and convinced her to come back with him to straighten things out for his boss, with the “promise” that the police would not get involved. Along the journey, they got into some shenanigans and even bonded. Sandy (Diana) seemed to grow a conscious and her character developed with more stability and less impulsivity and lies. In the end, Sandy (Diana) turned herself in and took full responsibility leaving Sandy (male) to resume his regularly scheduled life with a new twist, his newfound adventure. After meeting each other, neither lives were ever the same.
Reaction
This film was a suspenseful comedy giving the audience a rollercoaster of disasters until you felt compassionately towards the characters. Sandy's (Diana) emotion seemed real as it slowly developed from an ignorant, selfish, above-the-law thief to a compassionate and resourceful member of society. There were cringeworthy moments throughout the film I felt the story would have been no different without, and an unnecessary hotel scene that was purely to evoke a reaction. Although we have seen similar stories throughout the history of cinema, such as “Catch Me If You Can'' and “Beekeeper” to name a few, Identity Thief demonstrated a journey that was easy to follow with lovable characters. Overall, it was a fun lighthearted film with lots of lessons embedded throughout.
Analysis
There are five lessons from the film Identity Thief that are key to understanding the essence of the story as well as the concepts behind it. The first is the power of deception, tied closely with the allure of a lavish lifestyle. Together these lessons address issues with identity. The third is the consequences of actions which in a way go along with flaws within our society's structured systems. Lastly, the lesson of redemption always makes for a great ending to any story. Together these lessons provide a template for this film as well as touch on a number of concepts surrounding subjectivity and identity.
The power of deception was demonstrated numerous times by Sandy Patterson (Diana) and a few times by the real Sandy Patterson (male), to deceive and manipulate others to get what they desire. Sandy (Diana) spent her time stealing people's identities, selling identities, and using other people's credit to buy outrageous items that seemed to be things she didn’t need. She would simply contact the individual and get their information over the phone then open credit cards in their names. This demonstrates the importance of identifying potential risks in trusting others, quicklyF and fully. Sandy (Diana) had an extraordinary ability to deceive people into thinking her life was grander than it was and this pattern of behavior got her into a lot of trouble in the end, both with the law and other criminals that were hunting her down. She found herself stuck in this structure of destruction but it appeared throughout the film that she grew a conscious and became remorseful of her actions, with attempts to change. There's this notion within our culture, according to Deleuze and Guattari, that value is placed upon people based on titles, this mostly means job titles. This creates a faciality constraining freedoms and economic advancement. In my experience, people from some other countries and cultures do not do this. My experience with several European and British friends is that the important things are not status and riches, but the quality of the person and how they “talk and walk.” This leads me to believe it is an issue regarding an outdated cultural norm. This is important to point out the differences because Sandy (Diana) made everyone think she had a good life, despite those critical social norms regarding clout.
Along with the temptation of deception, there is an allure of a lavish lifestyle we see throughout this film. We see Sandy (Diana) purchasing a speed boat because she can and dumped it on her lawn as a statement piece and also because she simply didn’t know what else to do with this ridiculous purchase. Again, she didn’t care, it wasn't her money. This demonstrates the potential risks of negative liberty. She was exceptional at deceiving people into thinking she was a certain type of person based on what she purchased, how she carried herself, and the stories she told about her life that were all lavish lies. According to Austin and Rouse, when referring to Deleuse and Guattari, “[they] similarly reject the notion of an essentialist self or identity and are instead interested in the processes of subjectification, or means or mechanisms by which subjects are produced, rather than seeking to describe any sort of essence which might constitute a necessary and sufficient core of the subject.” (Austin & Rouse, p. 12) This is important because they are saying it’s not important what you say your identity is but rather how you're perceived, how you’ve lived your life and refer to it, as a pattern of behavior. Who we are is directly connected to how we describe ourselves and how others see us which creates who we are. This matters for Sandy (Diana) because she is telling this grand story of her life when really that does not match up to her actions. Her chain of signification was also skewed in that she used the words “success” and “friendship” as very different things than those terms actually mean. For example, she thought the people in the bar were her friends when in reality they were using her for her money. Sandy's (Diana) self-actualization needs were not being met, according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, so she created an alternative way of meeting those needs superficially through a series of poor choices and bad behavior.
This analysis wouldn’t be thorough if we didn’t address the lesson of owning the consequences of one's actions. Although Sandy (Diana) was initially successful in her scheme, her criminal journey caught up to her and forced her to take a look at her life and dig deep to understand why she was the way she had become. Meeting Sandy (male) helped this revolution speed up and over the course of their exhausting journey across the country, exposed the raw issues behind her actions and ended with her downfall.
We see flaws in systems every day, but when it’s a security system put in place to protect us, it’s slightly more serious when it breaks or gets taken advantage of. Hackers and thieves take advantage of vulnerabilities and Sandy (Diana) had a structured approach to her exploits. There have to be continuous improvements, the good guys need to employ power knowledge, and there must be positive liberty to make these choices, to stay ahead of the issues and fraudulent activities.
Lastly, every good story has to have an element of redemption or at least the choice and opportunity for it. This was demonstrated well when Sandy (Diana) turned herself in and even after being incarcerated, she was improving upon herself and making better choices. The lesson is that anyone can change their narrative, subjectification, and make a positive contribution to this world.
"It's not about the rewards or the riches; it's about the thrill of the game." - Frank Abagnale Jr. in the film Catch Me If You Can
Austin, E. K., & Rouse, R. (2022). Faciality and the Assembly of Organizational Subjectivity: Considering the Possibilities of Emancipation in Management Theory. Tamara Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry, 20(1).
Spielberg, S. (2002). Catch Me If You Can. DreamWorks Distribution.
I was struck by the statement in your opening paragraph about loveable characters; and what we see in that identity in the film. Is that we perceive an identity that we are familiar with? Did I have affection for Diana's plight simply because I adored that actress as Sookie (I had to sneak in a Gilmore Girls reference somewhere this week!). I also found myself in thinking about trust, how we may trust someone based on their constructed identity. What attributes I might associate with trust: honesty, reliability, familiarity... and so do we tend to trust individuals more that mirror our own identity?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, Tracy. I agree that I still see the actress Melissa McCarthy as Sookie as well. I listened to an interview, I believe it was Daniel Radcliffe who was interviewed, he said he has a hard time being cast for other roles because everyone still sees him as Harry Potter. It's apparently an actual struggle for famous people who are very successful in one role. It takes a generation of growing up to "allow" a change in perspective. To address your question, yes, we do tend to trust and I'd add respect individuals who mirror us. As an example, we tend to find partners who mirror us and sometimes even who have similar physical attributes as us too. Have you ever heard of the game "sibling or partner?" It's when you're out and about and see someone who looks alike, you people watch until you make a guess if they are siblings or partners. It's dumb but something to pass the time. I think there is a psychological reason behind this and without a doubt it is subconscious. Do you think this translates into the professional world as well? Are you more likely to hire someone you see yourself in?
ReplyDeleteReally good points about actors being seen as a particularly famous character. This certainly seems to lean into the Deleuze and Guattari concept of faciality; this being fresh in my mind from just reading Savanna's blog. Actors career's are dependent on their face as a key attribute to recognition and success. Also, your point about hiring someone mirroring myself rings true, and I honestly feel a little guilty for my bias that likely is a result of that reaction!
DeleteI don't think you should not feel guilty - being aware of this is key. It is human nature, or at least I argue that it is. We all seek to be acknowledged in some way, Diana puts too much weight on what others think. She seeks validation though being what she thinks others want her to be or expect her to be in order to get what she wants.
DeleteInteresting topic, connecting a lavish lifestyle and subjectification. It is common to surround ourselves with expensive things to show to others that we are doing well. We, as humans, have been doing this for quite some time! Rulers and royals for centuries have amassed and displayed wealth as a way of demonstrating their higher rank in society. It is still relevant today with those of means wearing designer clothing and expensive jewelry and scents.
ReplyDeleteThe discussion regarding subjectification and trust is quite interesting. Trust is an aspect of life that is quite subjective and relational. The relational aspect is key. In response to your comment, Nikole, I do think that people hire those that they relate too and vice versa. Job interviews, to me, are a two-way street; it is a time for them to asses you as well as you assess them. If the questions are uncomfortable and pushy or you learn of aspects of the organization that you don't agree or like, you may not accept the job even if offered. To me, there is subjectification as clout and subjectification of your values. If an aspect of any part of your life, including your values, is not upheld, then it may be time for a change, including in the professional world.
Yes! I completely agree. I would even add, "vibe" as a factor. It must feel right even if the words match, body language and the perception of the situation matter as well. Not sure what this would fall under. Hierarchy of needs perhaps?
DeleteI love the incorporation of the quote you put at the end, "...it's about the thrill of the game", I think this perfectly ties into Diana's tendency toward excess. Her buying multiples of items exemplifies how her compulsion is less about obtaining wealth and more about succeeding in her theft. Diana is like a hacker or a nomad in Callen & Austin's discussion because she similarly, "lives within a space that refuses the functions of the state, and is in a position of resistance" (Callen & Austin, 2016). Diana refuses to live within the confines of the socially acceptable lifestyle for a middle aged, suburban woman, constantly pushing back against the accusations people foist upon her about her position in the world.
ReplyDeleteThank you and I agree! I keep thinking about the example in the film where she got jealous of the people playing on the jet ski so she bought it and told the salesman to now remove them. It's comical how she acts but it also has some truth to how I believe a real life person would act. Then there was a situation where she was being made fun of in a salon, so she humbled herself to ask for their help. This also diffused the situation. That shows her growth and maybe goes back to Sarah's point about sociopath behavior. To me this is clearly not that in this situation, as she "learned" positive behavior. Right?
DeleteHI Ashley! I am super glad you connected this to Maslow's hierarchy. I too, was looking at where Diana lacks in his theory. It's hard ot move up anywhere where if you can't fulfill your identity needs not knowing who you are. She does lean into excess, and I wonder if it is because she feels fullfilled in one identity, but because she seemingly grew up lacking in the foster care system, so she ensures she always gets the most out of it. Once the jig is up, she has to run to another identity, in order to fulfill any of the needs in Maslow's hierarchy. Perhaps the lack of stability in any of these influences how she approaches using one's identity to the maximum that she can.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Maddy. I think upbringing "programing" matters a lot. This is also perhaps the nature vs nurture theory in action. I think her feeling unfulfilled in general is a huge reason for her behavior - she has lost herself in the mix and finds temporary relief or identity, by creating fake new ones. I think back to the line the bartender said to her about the crowd not being her friends but rather taking advantage of the fact that she's buying drinks for them. This is one way that she pretends to be who she wishes to be but doesn't know how to be herself or at least doesn't appear to have the confidence in herself to try. The adventure with Sandy (male) taught her how important it is to be authentic and what it can do for you...he has the "good life!" This growth is also shown at the end when she is going to school as well as doesn't care about her birth name but instead declares herself Diana.
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