Recently a study was done in England to determine why some people seem to have all the luck and others don’t have any good luck. The results of this study determined those with good luck have positive attitudes, they are not so bogged down with details that they miss the signs, and they don’t give up easily. Those with no luck feel the world is against them and are so consumed with everything that they miss what is important. In Bruce Almighty, Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey, The Majestic) is a perfect example of a person with no luck. He is so caught up with his failing career and mediocre life that he can’t see what blessings he really has.

Bruce works for a Buffalo news station. He does fluff pieces because he is not taken seriously. He is a funny guy and gets passed up for an anchor position by a jerk of a guy, Evan Baxter (Steven Carell). This snub sends Bruce spinning out of control with self-destructive behavior. He gets fired, he comes home and takes it out on his girlfriend Grace (Jennifer Aniston, The Good Girl) – oh and let me say what the hell is up with her hair in this film? Well he demands that God (Morgan Freeman, Dreamcatcher) do something or send him a sign as he berates The One, the Omega. So God sends Bruce a page. After ignoring God’s many pages, he finally calls the number. The prerecorded messages directs Bruce to a building for a job. After confronting God he is bestowed with all of God’s powers and is instructed to do a better job. Only two conditions, he can’t tell anyone and he can’t mess with free will. With any power comes responsibility, even the comic books beat that message into your head. Well Bruce soon learns there is more to this job than walking on water, parting his tomato soup and putting a lasso on the moon.

Carrey is not a favorite of mine, and his overdone comedic routine always seems like he tries too hard to get a laugh. I enjoyed him in The Majestic when he wasn’t contorting his face and body to get a laugh. His performance in Bruce Almighty reminded me of his other funny, but way over-the-top humor of Liar Liar, Pet Detective and Me, Myself and Irene. While this movie had laughs and deep emotions, it could have worked just the same without all of Carrey’s antics. Aniston was boring and delivered yet another dull, lackluster performance on the silver screen. My guess is that if she can’t be Rachel Green, then she isn’t all that appealing. Tom Shadyac (Dragonfly) directed this film. Also appearing in Bruce Almighty were, Philip Baker Hall, Catherine Bell, Lisa Ann Walter, Nora Dunn, Paul Satterfield, Mark Kiely, Lillian Adams and Christopher Darga. Even though this film was a bit much, it did provide some laughs during the hour and half running time. I gave Bruce Almighty a solid seven couches on the About-Movies.com scale.

Last updated: Thursday, March 20, 2008 02:46:12 AM

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