This is one of the funniest movies I've seen in some time. Bruce Almighty starts Jim Carrey, Jennifer Aniston, and Morgan Freeman. The basic premise is this is a comedy about one man who is given the powers (and responsibilities) of God and we get to see what he does with this power. Knowing that the movie stars Jim Carrey we expect quite a bit of over the top humor. While we do have a fair amount of the typical Carrey humor, Bruce Almighty is a lot more than that. Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is a reporter for a local television station. He gets the assignments that show off his warm and humorous side. But Bruce wants the anchor position that will be opening up when the current male anchor retires. Bruce does not feel that he is getting the respect or the opportunities necessary for him to be able to get the job he has always wanted.
Bruce is living with his girlfriend Grace Connelly (Jennifer Aniston), an elementary school teacher. When Bruce loses his job (have a nice Jim Carrey fit) he blames everyone and everything including God for his mediocre life. Grace sees that Bruce is also calling their relationship mediocre and is now upset with Bruce. Bruce blames God some more, asks for a sign (he gets several, which he promptly ignores) until finally he realizes that there is something going on and actually meets God (Morgan Freeman). God is tired of listening to Bruce whine so much so he tells Bruce that if he thinks he can do a better job at running the world, then perhaps Bruce should try. God endows Bruce with the divine power and lets Bruce have a go at it.
Bruce does what most of us would do with the power of God. He plays around with it for his own convenience, messes with the people who he doesn't like and uses it to help out his sex life with his girlfriend. His use of power is very funny, but it appears that he is not happy with life. Finally, Grace leaves him because even though Bruce is improving his life he has not changed who he is or how he acts to other people.
The movie changes gears and turns into a film about Bruce's redemption with God and with Grace. The film presents a positive message about God and faith that does not feel heavy handed at all (the director happens to be Christian). I thought this was a fairly well thought out and incredibly funny movie. It is the funniest movie thus far this year and I would definitely recommend it.
This is unacceptable, especially in a medium that normally allows the viewer such varied control over how a movie is presented on their screen. Because of this bone-headed decision by the DVD makers, I cannot recommend you purchase this disk. Indeed, I would encourage anyone else who has purchased this DVD to protest to Universal about this forced advertising. Anyone who pays full price for a new DVD should not have to sit through unwanted advertising to view their purchase. Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is a local TV news reporter in Brooklyn, NY who is constantly sent out on the least desirable assignments and made into the "funny" guy instead of the serious person he wants to be perceived as.
His goal is finally sit in the anchor's chair and be taken seriously as a news personality. He is so goal oriented, it causes strife with his girlfriend Grace (played wonderfully by Jennifer Aniston). Nothing seems to go right for him. His dog eliminates in the house, his car gets demolished, he gets embarrased on TV and continues to butt his head against the wall.
Grace is a school teacher that has a special bond with her students. She is spiritual and loving, and cares deeply for Bruce, warts and all. Bruce only sees his goal and as the world crashes around him, he blames God for his troubles.
In a scene reminiscent of "Oh, God!" (starring George Burns and John Denver), Bruce goes to an unusal, nondescript building to talk about a job offer. Little does he know that it's God (Morgan Freeman) who has contacted him and who offers Bruce the opportunity to have God's power so he can try to prove he can do a better job than God.
Needless to say, giving Jim Carrey omnipotent powers is a recipe for non-stop laughter. A number of the funny scenes have already been shown in the trailers, but there are many more. Beyond the humor, however, there is a much more powerful story going on in Bruce's heart.
While he has the power of God, he doesn't have the knowledge or wisdom of the Almighty. He finds himself deluged with prayers still overwhelmed with pressures of the world. He uses his new powers for selfish things, and when he finally is moved to do something for others, he does a half-hearted job at it.
Despite his powers, he still finds himself going nowhere nothing works out the way it should. He can manipulate people and things, but he does not have the power to interfere with a person's free will. Free will is the only thing we have when we're born and the only thing we take with us when we leave but despite being told not to interfere in free will, Bruce tries at it anyway.
After nearly 2 weeks with omnipotent powers, God confronts Bruce asking what good things he has done for other people, or what things has he done at all that were good. As his life continues to unravel, Bruce realizes what God was trying to tell him subtly all along.
This is not just a film about the funny situations one can get into with almighty powers the story is more about the individual relationship each person chooses to have with God... and how to look at yourself before pointing out the problems in others.
There is some foul language in the film, but it is minimal and not anything beyond what is seen on prime-time TV these days. The film is very entertaining, but also very deep. It's hard to watch this film and not have at least a moment of looking at yourself in a different way and more importantly, looking at the people around you and trying to see them as God sees them instead of in the selfish way we usually look at others.
In many ways, this is a timeless movie almost an instant classic... and one of the few blockbusters in recent years that it's safe to take your family to watch.
Read Best Reviews of Bruce Almighty (2003) Here
Bruce Nolan is a flunky reporter who is always sent on remote locations to cover ridiculous assignments for a local television station in Buffalo. His life goal is to be head news anchor, but his career is cut short when he swears on the air. After his neglected girlfriend dumps him and everything in his life goes awry, Bruce asks God for Help. God answers him, but Bruce cops an attitude and tells God how unfair He is and what a terrible job He is doing in the world. God listens patiently and tells Bruce that he can play God for a while, which is similar to giving explosives to a child.Want Bruce Almighty (2003) Discount?
What happens when God gives a whining, complaining ordinary Joe his powers? "Bruce Almighty" attempts to answer that question, with Jim Carrey playing Bruce Nolan, the whining, complaining ordinary Joe. And Carrey has a field day with the character, delivering some of his funniest stuff yet, which include a tyrade on a newscast from Niagra Falls and making his rival newsman speak in gibberish. Jennifer Aniston does well in her first mainstream role as Nolan's girlfriend Grace, and Morgan Freeman never takes his God role too seriously, which adds an extra layer of humor to a movie already chock full of Carrey's physical gags.Nolan (Carrey) is a reporter at a Bufallo news station, buts what he really wants to be is an anchorman. But when his rival takes the job instead, and he loses his job because of his tyrade at Niagra Falls, he gets fired and starts to get on God's (Freeman) nerves because of his complaining. All the while, he is starting to neglect his girlfriend Grace (Anniston). But God hears Bruce's complaints and bestows his powers on him. Carrey thinks all his problems are now solved as he now becomes known as Mr. Exclusive because he makes it so he covers amazing, freak stories, like a metorite hitting Earth. Although, Bruce soon finds out that his new found fame is taking him away from what he really enjoys, i.e. grace, and he is going to lose all that if he does not change himself and how he acts.
And that is the film's moral: instead of asking for everything, you have to get off your butt and do it yourself, and think about people other than yourself. Despite the occasional corny moment, director Tom Shadyac (Who collaborated with Carrey on "Liar, Liar") still manages to lend enough gravity and emotion to the message, and makes a wholly satisfying conclusion to a movie that will make your sides split, as well as make you rethink the way you go about life.
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