Bruce Almighty

Author: Katie

Please tell me if this is too loud. Sue gets to sleep in today and I don't want to spoil it. I guess I won't be writing anything in all caps today. That would be too loud. lvq (laughing very quietly). Speaking of laughing........I used to think that Liar Liar was the movie that made me laugh harder than any other the first time I saw it. Well, Jim Carey has oudone himself this time. In my opinion, Bruce Almighty makes Liar Liar appear to be depressing. (please pay attention to the words "in my opinion") The movie starts out on an instant note of laughter and it just keep building from there. There was one particular news scene that had the whole theater laughing so hard that you could almost hear people gagging. I had to stop myself just to take a breather. The only time I wasn't laughing was when I was crying towards the end.

Sue is up now so I can turn up the volume and actually LOL now! LOL!

There are some sexual connotations and language issues as usual with this type of movie. But this slowly sets the scene for the awesome redemptive quality that eventually comes through. I wouldn't recommend parents taking young children to this movie before actually viewing it themselves first. However, when it comes out on video I'll let my kids watch it with me and I'll skip through the one scene of sexual implication (it is implied that something sexual is going on but no nudity or sexual acts are shown).

This is a spoiler alert! If you don't want to know any particulars about the movie then skip this paragraph.

Jim Carey starts out as a news reporter (Bruce Nowlin?) getting all the corny interviews. His main concern in life is getting the news anchor job. When that falls through, he goes on an insane rampage blaming God for everything wrong in his life. The next important thing to Bruce (besides himself and having stuff) is Grace, his live-in girlfriend (oh, and I might add....getting the dog to use the bathroom OUTSIDE). Bruce is a "good guy" who never intentionally tries to hurt anybody. However, his obsession with the anchor job seems to be the catalyst that brings out the evil nature that lie in every man (or woman to be politically correct). Bruce is your typical "lost" person looking for something to fill the "God shaped hole in all of us". (I might mention that that Plumb song is actually played in the movie.) So, his character is pretty common to any man before receiving redemption from God.

The character of God played by Morgan Freeman is superb! I believe it is the closest portrayal of God's true character that I have seen in a comedy so far. (He didn't even smoke a cigar as did George Burns in the Oh! God! series.) God (the character) has a sense of humor and most of all, he never points his finger of accusation or condemnation. The movie has been criticized by some Christian critics because God never points out Bruce's faults (the fact that he is living with his girlfriend, uses bad language, etc...) I think that is one of my favorite aspects of the movie because God doesn't come into our lives to point out our faults. God is portrayed as the loving God that He is! This God is loving, merciful, forgiving, and funny. He is a servant not an all powerful "strike you down" God like many movies depict him. His nature is portrayed even better through the ways in which he shows himself to Bruce........through HARDSHIP! He answers all of Bruce's prayers....HIS WAY... not the way in which Bruce expects. Another very funny part of the movie was when Bruce is hearing all these prayers and has to figure out a way to organize them all so he can listen to them clearly and answer them. You've just got to see that part! LOLOLOL When Bruce is given the powers of the Almighty, he decides that to save time and make everyone happy, he answers "yes!" to all prayers. The result of this was that all 250,000 some people won the state lottery. Each winner walked away with a grand total of $17! LOL

Another spoiler alert! (This could be a big one so beware!)

I think one of the most touching parts in the entire movie comes in the end when God asks Bruce ito pray. At first he has a hard time and God responds to his prayer for world peace and an end to hunger with such humor. It is then when Bruce prays the most unselfish, from the heart prayer. Then, God asks him if he wants Grace to come back to him (double meaning). Bruce's response at first is "Yes." But then he immediately changes his answer to no. He tells God that he wants Grace to have a man who will treat her better than he did, and will love her the way she deserves to be loved. He tells God that he wants her to have somebody who will always see her the way that he does at that very moment...all the time, through God's eyes. WOW! I'M GONNA CRY AGAIN!

I'd recommend this movie because it is fun! It is one of those movies that I want to see again because the one-liners went by so fast I'm sure I missed something. The character of God was played so warmly and he taught Bruce some very valuable lessons in such gentle ways. What struck me most was how Bruce even with all the power of God, in wanting to get his estranged girlfriend back, asked God "How can you make someone love you without affecting free will?" THAT'S a GOOD question!