‘Bruce Almighty’ is a real laugh

Evan Marmol

What would any man do if bestowed with the omnipotence of God? What

if that person was the zany, arm flailing, face contorting, spastic

Jim Carrey?

“Bruce Almighty” dares to answer this question as an insidiously

funny flick. Always wickedly funny, there are no limits to Carrey’s

antics. With Jim Carrey as God, and at least half of the Ten

Commandments being broken, this film never fails to supply the

laughs. No one can conceivably portray the supreme blasphemer better

than Jim Carrey.

Carrey plays a disgruntled journalist blaming God for all of his

difficulties and misfortunes. When he loses everything he receives a

mysterious page leading to an offer he cannot refuse. Within a day he

is transformed from nothing to the almighty, but the job is not as

easy as it looks.

At first Bruce is consumed by his overwhelming power. He abuses it

for selfish and hysterical purposes, but slowly a message is slipped

in that power and responsibility are necessarily linked. Bruce is

forced to attempt to meet the challenges of answering a world of

prayers and hopes.

“Bruce Almighty” manages to supply uproarious hilarity, while

subtly reminding the audience of the simple pleasures that we all

take for granted. While never departing from its purpose as a comedy,

the film surprises with a penetrating lesson.

Overall, this film is definitely the sleeper hit of the season.