BY ANTONY TEOFILO | The Alpha

In the beginning, there was Bruce.

And yay, unto Bruce Nolan was borne bad day that would have tested even Job's* mettle. And Bruce shouted unto the Heavens, "Why me, Lord?!?!" And God said, "Bruce, thou shalt not complain. I have a plan. I, who have always been, and always shall be, need a vacation."

Thus, Bruce walked in the valley of the Lord (and took over his job for a few weeks), and committed numerous acts of hilarity.

And it was good.

So runs the premise of Universal's BRUCE ALMIGHTY, in which Jim Carrey literally becomes the Lord of all he surveys.

The Pilgrims

Bruce Nolan is an everyman whose life is in need of a little spice. He's got a good job as a TV news reporter in Buffalo, New York. He's known for his light, humorous reporting, but longs to be a serious anchorman. When he's passed up for a promotion, a chain of events is set in motion that leads to the worst day he's ever had. In a fit of rage, he accuses God (Morgan Freeman) of being unjust. This time, when Bruce Nolan speaks, God listens. Bruce gets all God's powers (which he loves) and all his responsibilities (which he doesn't).

Directed by Tom Shadyac, who helmed the sleeper hit ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE and fan favorite LIAR LIAR, BRUCE ALMIGHTY returns Jim Carrey to his comedic roots. After sojourns into the semi-serious (THE TRUMAN SHOW) and the demi-dramatic (THE MAJESTIC), it seems Carrey would ready to brandish his slapstick with heavy aplomb and ram his rubberface right back onto the screen.

But this is a newer, more polished Jim Carrey. In the time he has been away from overt comedy, it seems he has learned to act in the spaces between sight gags and pratfalls, knowing when to turn it up, and when to tone it down. It's a pleasant change that should please audiences who don't really know what to expect from Carrey anymore. Instead of the hyperactive clown we grew to love in Ace Ventura, there is now man with a gift for comedy and the ability to bring humanity to a hero's journey.

Supporting Carrey is a solid cast of veterans and newcomers. Jennifer Aniston plays straight man (and girlfriend) to Carrey's Nolan. Though she doesn't get much to do in the way of comedy, she provides a few choice moments of solid emotion in the relationship department. Her measured, solid performance provides a crucial baseline that helps keep Bruce's emotions grounded and sincere through all the wacky-smacky. Morgan Freeman's God is charismatic and commanding, but compassionate enough to be likable. He even gets a chance to flex his funnybone when he pokes fun at one of Carrey's more memorable catchphrases.

Heavenly Highlights

The movie's most brilliant scene comes at a moment that is so surprising in its 'hilarity, I would be loathe to tell you any more than this: the gag supplies the longest sustained audience laugh I have ever heard in a theater. I couldn't see the screen through my tears when it was over. Even better is that Jim Carrey doesn't perform the gag in question. I kid you not, even if you don't like the rest of BRUCE ALMIGHTY, this one moment alone is worth the price of admission.

Any God vs. The Everyman story is in danger of running into the realm of saccharine. Gladly, this is not the case here. While BRUCE ALMIGHTY proves sweet, there is no bitter aftertaste. This movie might not prove to be a summer blockbuster, but its light-hearted human comedy and brilliant physical timing will make it a crowd pleaser for sure. The flick supplies its audience with a story full of faith, hope, and love, while asking some heavy hitting questions: Why am I here? What is my purpose? What on earth, God, do you WANT from me!!??!!

The Omega

While you may not agree with all of the answers the filmmakers propose to the above mentioned universal quandaries (and the movie goes out of its way to avoid any sort of dogmatic bickering or philosophizing on the nature of theology) the filmmakers have proposed an entertaining look at a compassionate God, and man who wants only to believe that heaven wants the best for him. In today's cynical world, it's nice, every once in awhile, to see a movie that simultaneously feeds our need for light-hearted laughter, while illuminating humanity's quest to answer the intangible mysteries of life.

*Job was a poor sap in the Bible whom God decided to inflict with every possible imaginable malady and misfortune as a test to his faith. Job passed the test, but not until he'd lost his entire family, endured a crippling disease, and was put on trial.