Online Encyclopedia
Bruce Almighty
Bruce Almighty (2003) is a comedy movie directed by Tom Shadyac and written by Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk.
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Plot
The protagonist, Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is a TV news reporter who fails to get a job as an anchorman and, after a series of other bad luck incidents, complains to God that he is treating him unfairly and is doing a terrible job as supreme deity. Carrey is then contacted by God (Morgan Freeman) and endowed with almighty powers to prove that he can do a better job. Bruce quickly abuses his newfound powers for personal gain, only to be reminded that he also has to take care of other people's problems. Meanwhile, Bruce endangers his relationship with girlfriend Grace Connelly (Jennifer Aniston) through his self-centered behavior.
In typical Hollywood style, the film carefully avoids controversy. God seems to be of no particular denomination; theological questions such as the existence of hell or the second coming of Jesus are not discussed. The movie seems to explicitly reject traditional Catholicism, however -- when Bruce rhetorically asks whether God ever takes a vacation, God responds: "Ever heard of the Dark Ages?"
Issues like omnipotence and omniscience are not explored in any detail, and most of Bruce's actions as God are limited to the area of Buffalo, New York. In short, Bruce Almighty is a simple comedy that does not examine its premise, but merely uses it for laughs and the final philosophical revelation of the film, which could be summarized as "salvation comes from within".
Tagline: He's got the power.
Cast and Crew
Cast
- Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan
- Morgan Freeman as God
- Jennifer Aniston as Grace Connelly
- Lisa Ann Walter as Debbie
- Philip Baker Hall as Jack Baylor
- Steve Carell as Evan Baxter
- Catherine Bell as Susan Ortega
- Sally Kirkland as Anita Mann
- Nora Dunn as Ally Loman
Crew
- Director: Tom Shadyac
- Writer: Steve Koren
- Writer: Mark O'Keefe
- Writer: Steve Oedekerk
Controversy
The film caused controversy because God contacts Bruce using an actual phone number rather than a number in the standard fictional 555 telephone switch. Several people and groups sharing this number have received hundreds of phone calls from people wanting to talk to God. The producers note that the number chosen was not in use in the area the film's set in.
Quotes
- Jack: "You don't want to like Evan. Evan's an asshole."
- Bruce: "Fine! The gloves are off pal! Smite me, O mighty smiter! You're the one who should be fired! The only one around here not doing his job is you!"
- Bruce: "God is a mean kid over an anthill with a magnifying glass, and I'm the ant. He could fix my life in five minutes if he wanted to, but he'd rather burn off my feelers and watch me squirm!"
- God: "In a way, I'm here to offer you a job."
Bruce: "Job? What job?"
God: "My job. When you leave this building, you will be endowed with all of my powers."
Bruce: "Whatever you say, pal." - Evan: "The White House Reception Committee greeted the Prime rib roast Minister, and I do the cha-cha like a sissy girl. I "lika" do da cha-cha."
External links
- Bruce Almighty http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0315327/ at the Internet Movie Database