Bruce ALLLLLLLLL-Mighty then!

Rating: 8/10 (24 June 2003)

If you could be God for one week, what would you do? This are some the questions highlighted in the films trailer, and have made us all start to wonder what we would each do with the power beyond power. Well, you could take some tips from the film that can proudly be crowned the year's classiest and funniest comedy.
The enigmatic Carrey stars as local news reporter Bruce Nolan. Though having a girlfriend to die for in Grace (Aniston), Bruce is becoming tired of his meaningless existence, and after he is rejected the job of anchor man at the news station, blames God for his demise, claiming that He has had it in for him for a while. However, hell hath no fury like the Almighty p***ed, and soon enough, God appears in the grandiose and charming form of Morgan Freeman. Bruce, as you can imagine, is not won over by His attempts to convey his almighty prowess. But soon enough, Bruce bows down before his Maker, and starts off his new job in earnest. So what would you have done? Blowing up a woman's skirt, giving Grace the most powerful `pleasurable' experience ever, and teaching his rival news anchor how to effectively `clear' your throat before every transmission, are just some of Bruce's `preferences'. Nevertheless, Bruce soon learns that and the awesome challenge that faces the Man Upstairs, isn't a walk in the park by any means, and sets out to right as many wrongs as he can, while trying to discover the true meaning of his being.
Audiences rarely lye, and with a Stateside gross of over $200 million, it's easy to see what the fuss is all about with this one. Carrey, wrongly criticised for his recent move away from comedy, has never been better. His performance is not only one of his effervescent and vivacious jesting loved by so many, but also recalls the sincerity and earnestness of his turns in "The Truman Show" and "The Majestic". Carrey is on screen virtually the length of the film, with his natural charisma in tow, he is effortlessly watchable. The same can be said of the other two-thirds of the films main trio. Freeman is always reliable, and here as the All-Powerful, he is as magnificent and compelling as ever. And Aniston effortlessly slips into her role, and although she has little to do at times, provides the film with its sassiness, lighting up the screen with a glow that very few present day actresses can produce.

Director Shadyac proves his worth as a comedy director, managing to give the film some clever and neat guidance throughout. The scriptwriters too know their comedy, and although Carrey's input is obvious, still manage to effectively combine the slapstick with the meaningful impeccably. And although the religious undertones and the clichéd ending may put some people off, don't let it hamper one of the most enjoyable movie experiences you'll have this year. ****