Jim Carrey returns to comedy... (Possible Spoilers)

Rating: Null/10 (8 June 2003)

Jim Carrey, returning to comedy after his most recent feat with THE MAJESTIC (which was a great film) has not created his most memorable performance, but this one comes a lot closer than some of the others.
LIAR LIAR was his best work to date. ME, MYSELF & IRENE comes next. So, I guess we could place BRUCE ALMIGHTY a couple notches about THE GRINCH. It comes close to LIAR LIAR is story and context, but the story is just not juicy enough. Instead of having messages of understanding that deal about the problems of everyday life (as in LIAR LIAR), BRUCE ALMIGHTY creates messages about the understanding of religion and messages about god. I am not Christian, not in the least, but I was still able to watch BRUCE ALMIGHTY and not get completey sidetracked and bothered by the religions notions and humor. I thought a lot of it was completely hilarious.
Then there are the religious people. There are the kinds of religious people that can watch movies like this and laugh at the jokes and can understand that their god most likely has a sense of humor and can take a few jokes. I mean, I'm sure that their god wouldn't be happy with films like END OF DAYS or STIGMATA, but that's too bad. But, then there are the kind of religious people that could watch this same movie and not crack a smile the entire time. Why? Because their religion has become so big a part of their life, that it practically *is* their life. For some people, it is, but the average church-goer whose life is totally controlled by religion, that person will not find this movie appealing. I say to that person, "It's just a movie, crabass! Lighten up!".
Jennifer Aniston, taking the place of Maura Tierney from LIAR LIAR is good as she appears to have walked in the role, open and with enthusiasm. Other cast members, Philip Baker Hall (who just always looks tired) and other supporting members mostly have the same amount of eagerness to be working with the great Jim Carrey in a film.
Director Tom Shadyac returns from DRAGONFLY (which was a very good movie, no matter what other people say) to go back to comedy as well. After collaborating with Steve Odekerk (KUNG POW!: ENTER THE FIST) on PATCH ADAMS, Shadyac got a taste for comedy. Carrey and Odekerk also collaborated with Shadyac on ACE VENTURE: WHEN NATURE CALLS. Still, BRUCE ALMIGHY doesn't top Carrey and Shadyac's best (LIAR LIAR) but comes a lot closer than the others have. Carrey doesn't have his usual trademark face-making, weird noise making, talking-out-of-his-ass feature, voice changing and other stuff from previous films, but there is enough funny dialogue and there is a scene like the "noise-making" feature but it isn't Carrey who does it. Still funny. Avoid Jim Carrey's older works. You can see BRUCE ALMIGHTY because it is still a good film. It is still a step backwards (a very small step backwards) but hopefully he will only get better with time.
BRUCE ALMIGHTY: 4/5.