A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Evan Almighty

Date Viewed: 6/24/07

Details:

Steve Carell

Morgan Freeman

Lauren Graham

John Goodman

Wanda Sykes

Director: Tom Shadyac

Score: 1/2

The Review: The inevitable comparison is with Jim Carrey's Bruce Almighty -- the earlier exploration of a related topic by the same director -- and Evan is more mighty, more watchable, and (occasionally) more witty. Nonetheless, it's not grand theatre. It helps that Steve Carell's approach to humor is less in-your-face and over-the-top.

Evan Baxter (Carell) is recently elected to Congress on his credo "change the world," and has just moved his wife and children to the suburban Virginia countryside to be close to his job. He's been taken under the wing of a powerful senior congressman (Goodman) and appears to be rising rapidly in all the right places. The only downside is that he's compromising his family time, and things are again a bit rocky at home.

So obviously, something has to happen. Enter God -- literally (Freeman). "You want to change the world? Build an ark." Apparently, one is not allowed to ignore such hints for very long; and thereby hangs the tale. Primarily a broad comedy with some smidgeon of social consciousness, a bit more tolerable than Bruce. Lo and behold, there is some reason behind it all, if you're patient.

Some of the supporting cast are quite interesting.

(25-Jun-07)

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