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June 21, 2007
"Evan" is kind of "Almighty"
I gave "Evan Almighty" 2 1/2 out of 4 stars. Generous? Probably, but for a PG-rated movie this had people of all ages laughing at the Boston press screening I attended — which is pretty cool. Here's my take:
By Andrew Ravens
aravens@lowellsun.com
Steve Carell’s career took off in 2003’s "Bruce Almighty" when he stole the spotlight from comedy superstar Jim Carrey with a supporting role as quirky newscaster Evan Baxter.
The Acton native reprises his role as Evan, who is newly elected to Congress and anointed by God (Morgan Freeman) to build an ark in the family friendly $175 million comedy "Evan Almighty," which opens in theaters today.
The PG-rated and special effects-laden flick sparked consistent chuckles from children and adults of all ages at a recent press screening in Boston.
The film’s broad comedic appeal and Carell’s ("The Office," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin") star power likely mean it will do just fine at the box-office, despite some inevitable poor reviews.
The film relies too much on generic jokes — bathroom humor and physical mishaps are everywhere — but there’s a collection of one-liners and scenes with Wanda Sykes ("Curb Your Enthusiasm") and the emerging Jonah Hill ("The 40--Year-Old Virgin") that make it worth a look.
The film opens with Evan saying his good-byes on-air at the television station in Buffalo, N.Y. A brief montage explains Evan won the election and promised voters that he would “change the world.”
God takes notice and convinces Evan to build an ark — much like Noah did — to prepare for a pending flood. (Freeman seems uninterested and coasts through his role as the Almighty One, which he first played in 2003’s "Bruce").
Evan’s wife (Lauren Graham), three children and staff (Sykes, Hill and John Michael Higgins) think their boy has gone crazy. The congressman’s beard grows back seconds after shaving and his hair sprouts at uncontrollable lengths (Sykes wonders if he’s been “shooting up Rogaine”). God also makes Evan wear a robe, which completes the Noah transformation.
Evan’s biggest trouble comes from congressman Long (John Goodman), who wants the junior congressman to co-sponsor an environmentally unfriendly bill.
The plot is a bit hazy as director Tom Shadyac ("The Nutty Professor") tries to send a message about the environment and family togetherness that quickly gets washed in the shuffle.
The circus is the giant wooden ark and its guests — dozens upon dozens of real animals (kids will love all the animal gags). After watching a few scenes with the wildlife and big boat, you’ll understand the film’s considerable budget.
Viewers will recognize most of the supporting class, which also includes former "Saturday Night Live" star Molly Shannon and "The Office’s" Ed Helms.
Shannon has a few funny scenes as an obnoxious, hyper real estate agent, while Helms plays an annoying and easily frightened TV reporter — not much of a leap from Andy Bernard, whom he plays on "The Office" opposite Carell.
Although some of the jokes sound and look familiar, there’s no denying "Evan Almighty" is a fun summertime popcorn flick for the entire family.
Posted by Andy Ravens at June 21, 2007 10:52 AM