Stranger than we can imagine.

Rating: Null/10 (10 August 2003)

Some scientist once remarked that the universe is not only stranger than we imagine: it's stranger than we *can* imagine. Except for the obvious fact that the word "strange" is a relative term, and that what might seem strange to that scientist might not seem so strange to someone else, the statement has always seemed to me to be a very reasonable expression of one man's faith in the essential zaniness of things. (And his faith was not misplaced: the latest news is that we're all made of vibrations and have no way of knowing what it is that's vibrating. Explains the buzzy sensation that replaces thought in the minds of politicians.)
Well, since the universe includes God (or is God, or is included in God, depending on your sect), then we shouldn't be surprised if God looks like Morgan Freeman. Freeman's wonderful voice and his look of calm competence -- you *know* he knows way more than he's saying -- has left him typecast as the authority-figure in one movie after another. Why not the Ultimate Authority-Figure in this one?
And, continuing with the strangeness theme, why shouldn't the Creator pick one Jim-Carrey-like human out of all the billions of humans who demand favors of Him, and give him God-like power over one neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, USA? And finally, why shouldn't He deliberately neglect to give that human God-like wisdom along with the God-like power? (Because otherwise there would've been no movie, obviously.)
"Bruce Almighty" tries to convey a Capra-like faith in the essential goodness of ordinary people. Bruce easily could've sunk into Elvis-like debauchery or Stalin-like mass cruelty by the end of the week, but instead he attains a certain humility and kindliness. Seems unlikely, I know, but that was just God picking the right person and keeping the movie a comedy instead of a tragedy. It's not a great comedy, but I like that the theologizing and philosophizing are kept to a minimum. And how can you not like any movie that has Jennifer Aniston in it?
I gather that some atheists and fundamentalists have a problem with this movie. Atheists can always look at it as a fantasy, no different than if it had been Pan (Chris Rock) or Odin (Gene Hackman) instead of the Christian God. Fundamentalists should remember to judge not, lest they be judged.