Evan Almighty (C or 2/4 stars)
The premise of 2003's Bruce Almighty (starring Jim Carrey) was that a normal human being was granted God's (Morgan Freeman) powers while he went on a vacation. But the premise of 'Evan Almighty', directed by Tom Shadyac, is somewhat different. This time, God contacts Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) & orders him to build an ark in preparation for a devastating flood. With his slogan to 'change the world', the one-time news broadcaster is movin' on up to be a Congressman, of all things. Relocated to D.C., he hopes to start life anew & reconnect with his family. He hopes to change the world, but he didn't know that the world was gonna change him first. Almost everything about this movie is BAD. But something intangible kept a mild smile on my face through most of it.
After changing his tune by 'praying for guidance' at his bedside one night, Evan would wake up the next morning a new man (literally). The alarm goes off at GEN 6:14, not 7 am. And that same number keeps popping up everywhere. Eventually, he realizes that 6:14 is referring to verse 6:14 in the Bible. Some tools & wood shipments arrive at his new house, & God makes a visit to him (cue all the accompanying, cliched God-to-human banter). After the initial visit, stranger things occur. Namely, Evan starts growing un-shavable hair; he darns a robe; & his mission is to save as many animals as possible (from the imminent flood) ... yes, he is the new Noah. Evan's family, friends (including the always funny Wanda Sykes), & coworkers think he's nuts. But Evan drudges on with God's good work.
At first, Evan starts doing & saying crazy things; he thinks he's losing his mind (what with the stress of his new career), but God's continual visits make him a firm believer. And instead of serving his country (as a congressman), Evan will attempt to serve & save both humanity & the environment by building this ark. The animals won't go away, & finally ... his ark is able to set sail; problem is, there's no flood. As the animals come 2-by-2, & camera crews look on in amazement (at the lunacy of it all), a nearby dam breaks & all Hell breaks loose, as well. What of his wife (Lauren Graham)? Will the ark capsize? Will Evan be able to quell doubts about his recent state? What will Congressman Long (John Goodman) think of all this? Can Evan change the world with Acts of Random Kindess?
For what it's worth, I quite enjoyed Bruce Almighty, so I decided to give this a shot. There is a 'sense' of humor in this film, but it's uneven, & never makes me bust my gut. Overall, this movie's jokes and execution are contrived, dull & lazy. And although the climax (on the ark) kept my eyes glued to the screen, the CGI effects are surprisingly weak. This family flick is sporadically funny, but overly sentimental with its propaganda/morality lesson(s) (read your bible, don't ruin the land, treat animals kindly, don't buy Hummers, etc.). I enjoy Steve Carell. But while he has his moments, most of this film lacks humor, wit, plausibility, cleverness & excitement. 'Evan Almighty' appears desperate to appeal to both kids & adults, and I think it missed the mark. I wanted to dislike this even more than I did.
After changing his tune by 'praying for guidance' at his bedside one night, Evan would wake up the next morning a new man (literally). The alarm goes off at GEN 6:14, not 7 am. And that same number keeps popping up everywhere. Eventually, he realizes that 6:14 is referring to verse 6:14 in the Bible. Some tools & wood shipments arrive at his new house, & God makes a visit to him (cue all the accompanying, cliched God-to-human banter). After the initial visit, stranger things occur. Namely, Evan starts growing un-shavable hair; he darns a robe; & his mission is to save as many animals as possible (from the imminent flood) ... yes, he is the new Noah. Evan's family, friends (including the always funny Wanda Sykes), & coworkers think he's nuts. But Evan drudges on with God's good work.
At first, Evan starts doing & saying crazy things; he thinks he's losing his mind (what with the stress of his new career), but God's continual visits make him a firm believer. And instead of serving his country (as a congressman), Evan will attempt to serve & save both humanity & the environment by building this ark. The animals won't go away, & finally ... his ark is able to set sail; problem is, there's no flood. As the animals come 2-by-2, & camera crews look on in amazement (at the lunacy of it all), a nearby dam breaks & all Hell breaks loose, as well. What of his wife (Lauren Graham)? Will the ark capsize? Will Evan be able to quell doubts about his recent state? What will Congressman Long (John Goodman) think of all this? Can Evan change the world with Acts of Random Kindess?
For what it's worth, I quite enjoyed Bruce Almighty, so I decided to give this a shot. There is a 'sense' of humor in this film, but it's uneven, & never makes me bust my gut. Overall, this movie's jokes and execution are contrived, dull & lazy. And although the climax (on the ark) kept my eyes glued to the screen, the CGI effects are surprisingly weak. This family flick is sporadically funny, but overly sentimental with its propaganda/morality lesson(s) (read your bible, don't ruin the land, treat animals kindly, don't buy Hummers, etc.). I enjoy Steve Carell. But while he has his moments, most of this film lacks humor, wit, plausibility, cleverness & excitement. 'Evan Almighty' appears desperate to appeal to both kids & adults, and I think it missed the mark. I wanted to dislike this even more than I did.