Evan Almighty

Evan Almighty (Steve Carrel, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham, John Goodman, Wanda Sykes) —  The critics hated this sequel to the mega-hit Bruce Almighty, a Jim Carrey tour-de-force about a newsman visited by God in the form of Morgan Freeman.  The most memorable part of that film was a scene where Even Baxter, the local Buffalo anchorman who beat Carrey’s character out for the job, is left a blithering idiot by divinely-powerful Carrey.  The anchorman was played by then-unknown Steve Carrel, who parlayed that bit part into a mega-career that includes The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Little Miss Sunshine, and TV’s The Office.  Now a freshman U.S. Congressman (OK, it’s a stretch), he uproots the family to move to an exclusive neighborhood in Virginia and to “change the world.”  God appears to him (Freeman reprised his role so he only needs one more to match George Burns) to help him change the world one “act of random kindness” at a time.  His earthly task – to build an ark (a-r-k) – Noah style comes with a beard he can’t shave, a biblical robe, and more animals (in twos, of course) than a Wild Kingdom episode.  The special effects are actually pretty cool and the ark looks real.  It’s a big budget comedy for families and it isn’t even animated. The strength of the movie is its family message that, even if dad acts crazy, he’s still dad.  Laura Graham as Evan’s wife is a positive bit of a surprise.  And the best lines of the movie are given to … and delivered perfectly … by Wanda Sykes of TV’s New Adventures of Old Christine, who plays the role of the Congressman’s assistance hysterically.  She gets every great punch line.  I enjoyed this comedy, which isn’t as good as Bruce Almighty since it has no edge to it, but it entertains and makes you laugh.  Stay for the credits.