Claim: Jennifer Aniston has an acting career.

Bruce Almighty is a 2003 American high-concept comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac , written by Steve Koren , Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk and stars Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan , a down-on-his-luck TV reporter who complains to God -LRB- Morgan Freeman -RRB- that he is not doing his job correctly , and is offered the chance to try being God himself for one week .   This is Shadyac and Carrey 's third collaboration , having previously worked together on Ace Ventura : Pet Detective in 1994 and Liar Liar in 1997 . It co-stars Jennifer Aniston , Lisa Ann Walter , Philip Baker Hall and Steve Carell .   When released in American theaters in May 2003 , it took the # 1 spot at the box office , grossing $ 85.9 million -- higher than the release of Pearl Harbor , making it the second-highest-rated Memorial Day weekend opening of any film in motion picture history -LRB- until the release of X-Men : The Last Stand in 2006 -RRB- . The movie surprised media analysts when it beat The Matrix Reloaded after its first week of release .   By the time it left theaters in December 2003 , it took in a United States domestic total of over $ 242 million and $ 484 million worldwide . Evan Almighty , a spin off sequel focusing on Carell 's character , with Shadyac and Oedekerk returning to direct and write , and Freeman also reprising his role , was released in 2007 , to overall negative reviews .