Bruce Almighty (2003)

Directed by Tom Shadyac. Starring Jim Carrey, Jennifer Aniston, Morgan Freeman, Steve Carell, Catherine Bell, Philip Baker Hall, Lisa Ann Walter, Paul Satterfield, Eddie Jemison, Nora Dunn, Sally Kirkland. [PG-13]

News reporter Bruce Nolan (Carrey) has just lost his job and “lost his religion,” but someone who looks like Jennifer Aniston still loves and believes in him, so things could be worse… Still, an existential crisis is established, and before he gets a chance to ponder the meaning of it all, God shows up in the form of Morgan Freeman (were you expecting Alanis Morrisette?), He grants Bruce all of His omnipotence and omniscience, and sets the wayward sheep on a path for life lessons…but first, let’s blow a pretty lady’s skirt over her head and unearth Jimmy Hoffa’s body! Mixed-bag vehicle for the comedy star is lazy on the inspiration and tries having it both ways—a shallow but sincere moral about seeking out attainable pleasures and virtues within the shared space of a monkey popping out of a man’s rear end—but ends up with trite good feelings, a little too much treacle, and ju-u-ust enough funny bits to make for an okay, no-demands viewing. Curiously enough, it’s co-star Carell (as a smarmy news station rival) who gets the most memorable bit, spouting rapid-fire gibberish on-air under Bruce’s “influence”. Bostoners will, no doubt, object to the scene where God is wearing a Yankees cap, but it was Egypt where the movie was banned for being sacrilegious. Followed by a sequel (more of a spinoff) featuring Carell’s character: Evan Almighty.

54/100