Bruce Almighty

[Docta]

blows! watch the trailer and you have seen the good parts. though there are a few funny shots at local tv news.

[bluewilco]

I completely disagree. I thought it was the best PG-13 movie I've seen in ages. As for the main story, sure...plots and ideas have been around like this for awhile now, but it has a fresh spin on it, and tho I'm not big on Jim Carrey (my favorite roles of his are the ones less liked by others--The Cable Guy for example), this is definitely his movie and he does very well in it.

It's definitely for laughs, and not an arthouse thinker. Plus, if you think you might get spoonfed some sappy religious pious thinking, you won't, but it'll definitely leave you feeling a bit in touch with any spiritual side you may have. As a friend of mine said; "It sure beats the hell out of going to church."

[CtJester]

Sorry, I got to go with Wilco on this one, but not as enthusiastic.

'Bruce Almighty' is probably Jim Carrey's best pure comedy film since 'Liar Liar', but I still feel that 'Liar Liar' was the better film.

'Bruce Almighty' is not a spectacular film by any means, but it provides something that most JC movies don't have; a more conservative JC. Carrey is always better to me when he doesn't play outrageous, and here he is one part outrageous, but two parts conservative. In that respect, I cared much more for the plight of the characters (if there is such a thing in a Carrey movie), than in say, the Ace Ventura movies.

That in itself is kind of funny, since the Ace movies, 'Liar Liar' and 'Bruce' were all written and directed by the same two people: Bob Odekirk and Tom Shadyac, both of whom I usually can't stand (see 'Kung Pow' and 'Patch Adams' as reference points). But here, they go back to the 'movie with heart' formula, and most of it works.

I agree that the trailer gives away funny moments, but it doesn't give away the best gags (soup, monkey, Hoffa, blabbering anchor, and a van of drugs... go figure).

It also has a decent moral story behind it, if you believe and/or like that sort of thing. Plus, I thought it was a nice touch to have Morgan Freeman use the 'Alllllrighty then' line instead of Carrey (did anyone else notice that?).

The performances are good, especially Freeman as God (perfectly cast, IMO... his Electric Company years worked so well for him) and Anniston as Grace. Both of them provide the perfect counterbalance to Carrey.

Overall, this film about knowing that what is out of your control, is in fact, under control, is cute and has a decent message.

3.5 out of 5 cheese doodles.

Stay for the blooper reel at the credits too.

-ct 'Note to self: Never write a review while listening to Beck's 'Sea Change'....*yawn* Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...' jester

[Docta]

Originally posted by CtJester

I agree that the trailer gives away funny moments, but it doesn't give away the best gags (soup, monkey, Hoffa, blabbering anchor, and a van of drugs... go figure).


actually i saw the soup and blabbering anchor gag in trailers too.

[Docta]

trying to think of what i disliked about this movie.

perhaps i had too high of expectations for it. i love the cast, liked the premise, laughed at the trailers, saw it as a "liar liar" type movie which i loved.

for some reason, none of the gags made me laugh out loud, a few smirks is all. again, everything lead up to "oh here comes that clip from the trailer."

while i appreciated the self actualization content, one aspect i did not like at all was that bruce never got out of being selfish in the film. the negative effects of his "god" actions he never accounted for or even seemed to feel badly about. while he was not selfish with the bum or in the end with grace, all of the problems he created were simply "mopped away" with god.

hmmmm, now that i think of it there may be another problem for me. he blames god for doing a bad job so god gives him his powers to show him how hard it is. bruce ultimately fails at the task, but in the end the message wasn't that god just has so much to do to focus on bruce's problems. the message was that god gave bruce his life for a specific reason, so why go to the trouble of giving bruce his powers? bruce never had to learn the lessons through others that not helping was the best course of actions for some people.

there also seemed to be a hole in the movie. did i miss the fight that lead up to grace not going to the party with him? she was dissapointed about the non-engagement but.......

maybe reading too much into a fluff movie here, just trying to figure out why i didn't much like it.