Evan Almighty

Evan Almighty is a 2007 American comedy film. The film stars Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman reprising their roles as Evan Baxter and God. This film is based on the story Noah's Ark which Evan reluctantly re-enacts because God commands him to do so and will stop at nothing to make him do it even as Evan pursues a new career in government.

Production of the film began in January 2006. Several visual effect companies were used to provide CGI for the numerous animals and the flood scene. In October 2007, the film was released on DVD and HD DVD.

The film opened on June 22 2007

Plot

Newly elected to Congress, former local television news reporter Evan Baxter leaves his hometown of Buffalo, New York, and later moves to the community of Prestige Crest, located in the town of Huntsville, Virginia, where his congressional campaign officially declares that he will change the world. Evan prays to God to give him this opportunity. His wife, Joan, also prays that she, Evan, and their three sons will be closer together as a family. On his first day at Congress, Evan receives a letter from his greedy boss, Congressman Chuck Long, who provides him with a prime office and gives the opportunity to join him as the junior co-sponsor to his Citizens' Integration of Public Lands Act bill. Over the next several days, strange events in Evan's life occur:

Evan comes to realize that this number refers to verse 14 in chapter 6 of the Book of Genesis, where God instructs Noah to build an ark in preparation for a coming flood. Evan initially rejects this idea, God Himself starts appearing to Evan and assures him that a flood will come and the only way he can change the world will be through building the ark. Evan decides to start building the ark with the tools and materials, giving him an opportunity to get closer to his sons, although Joan sees this as a midlife crisis.

Although Evan still maintains his career in Congress, his appearance alienates his three staffers and the animals that follow him everywhere become disruptive. God reappears to Evan and provides him a robe, and later warns him the flood will come mid-day on September 22. When God indefinitely exposes Evan's robe, Long fires him and has his name removed from the Public Land Act bill. Believing that Evan has gone insane, Joan leaves him, causing Evan to continue building the ark alone. Meanwhile, God disguises Himself as a waiter in a restaurant and later speaks to Joan. God assures Joan that she should see this as an opportunity for the entire family to get closer to each other. Joan is inspired and finally returns to help Evan finish building the ark together to prepare for the flood.

On September 22, Evan's three staffers show him evidence that Long had planned to build Prestige Crest after damming off a nearby water source, but Long had cut many corners in building the dam. They suspect Long would do the same with the Public Land Act Bill. With the ark finally complete, the animals board the ark and rain falls. Evan realizes that the flood will be a result of Long's dam failing, and warns the onlookers to get aboard the ark. The dam indeed fails, destroying all the homes of Prestige Crest. The ark rides the flood down the streets of Washington, D.C. and comes to a halt in front of the Capitol, interrupting the vote for the Public Land Act Bill. The flood results in Evan accusing Long of being responsible for cost-cutting leading to the dam's failure, leading to several other members of Congress voting against the bill.

Congress investigates Long for profiteering and corruption, and all the animals return to their natural habitats. Evan is reinstated to Congress after the flood, and the changes imposed onto him by God no longer remain. Evan re-encounters God during a family hike. God states that Evan had changed his world as he prayed for and being closer to his family through his one Act of Random Kindness

Release

The premiere for the film was held on June 10 2007