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| Bruce
Almighty
Directed By: Tom
Shadyac Plot
Summary - Review 1 - Review
2 - CURRENT REVIEWS
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| Bruce Nolan (Carrey), a television reporter in Buffalo, N.Y.,is discontented with almost everything in life despite his popularity and the love of his girlfriend, Grace (Aniston) . At the end of the worst day of his life, Bruce angrily ridicules and rages against God and God responds. God appears in human form (Freeman) and, endowing Bruce with divine powers, challenges Bruce to take on the big job to see if he can do it any better. [TRAILER] Jim Carrey, after a long string of unrecognized dramatic performances, has now returned to more of what made him famous – manic physical comedy! In “Bruce Almighty,” he plays Bruce Nolan, an annoyed television newsperson who, on his worst day, blames God for his many pains. In response, Bruce finds himself face-to-face with God (Morgan Freeman), a rather convincing, if aloof, deity who says that Bruce can have his chance at running things. He is given all of God’s powers and wished the best of luck. Yet, when Bruce starts exercising his powers, he is exposed for the selfish, self-absorbed person he really is. Giving in to drives for revenge and self-promotion, Bruce gets everything he wants, only to realize later the profound cost that accompanies his unabashed greed. In the film’s final act, which will surely divide audiences, Bruce finds his relationship with Grace (Jennifer Aniston) threatened and attempts to use his powers to win her back. But only after a lengthy moral lesson from God can the film arrive at its predetermined happy ending. Is “Bruce Almighty” a monumental cinematic achievement? I think we know the answer to that one already – not in a long shot. But, I’ll admit, I was impressed. I have not laughed this hard at a comedy in a long time, and several scenes that aimed for the gut had me wiping tears from my eyes. Carrey is perfect. His comedic skills seem to parallel Robin William’s in that, even in the hokiest of situations, he seems fully committed and able to send an audience into a fit. He may not have the best script to work with, may not have the chemistry of the Monty Python troupe or the Mel Brooks comedy machine, but he commits himself fully to a scene and delivers more than he misses. In this regard, Carrey’s return here to comedy is a triumph. He still has what he possessed in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” (also directed by “Almighty” director Tom Shadyac) the cheap B-film that launched his career. The problematic third act, in which “Almighty” gets serious, is questionable due to an absurd kink in the story. Bruce and Grace’s relationship gets rocky because Bruce kisses another woman. But the scene in which this occurs is so random that it seems all but implausible. It is obviously a moment in the script devised to create conflict and, from this point forward, the serious tone of “Almighty” seems, at the very least, forced. If Grace had been driven away for another reason, or had questioned the future of the relationship, I think the ending of the film would have worked flawlessly. As it stands now, it is surprisingly touching, albeit watered down. But let’s give credit where credit is due. With this final collage of Carrey’s successful physical humor, a workable script that gives the comedian something to work with and – surprise, surprise – a few moments of real emotion, ‘Bruce Almighty” is quite a pleasure indeed. How’s this for rare: It’s a Hollywood comedy I’d like to see again.  Check out Reviews, Commentary, and More at Zertinet.com |
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