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by Jeff Eason |
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Evan Almighty Lacks Subtlety
of 40 Year-Old Virgin
Young men hoping to make an impression on the
opposite sex would like to be described with a number
of words: handsome, exciting, hunky, devilish, interesting,
rakish or bold.
Similarly, young women trying to get noticed yearn to
hear adjectives such as alluring, beautiful, mysterious,
angelic, breath-taking or sassy when people are talking
about them.
Steve Carell, star
of The 40 Year-Old Virgin and the TV sitcom The
Office, dons the robe of Noah in the new comedy
Evan Almighty. |
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The one word that is far down on both of these lists is
“cute.” In many instances, the word cute doesn’t
necessarily carry negative connotations. It just implies
that he or she is not worthy of some of the more glamorous
adjectives on then list.
That said, cute is probably not the word that the makers
of the most expensive comedy movie ever produced wish
to have attached to their film. But there it is, Evan
Almighty, the new comedy starring Steve Carell, is nothing
if not cute.
The sequel to the Jim Carrey-driven comedy Bruce Almighty,
Evan Almighty has Buffalo, New York television news anchor
Evan Baxter (Carell) moving to Washington, D.C., after
winning the congressional race in his district with a
“we can change the world” platform. Along with
his new job he has a giant new house in a new suburban
Virginia development and a monstrous SUV. All of the changes
are pleasing to Evan, despite the life-altering effect
it has on his wife Joan (The Gilmore Girl’s Lauren
Graham) and three sons, Dylan, Ryan and Jordan.
When a pushy Congressman Long (John Goodman) begins to
simultaneously help and bully congressional freshman Baxter,
Evan prays for guidance from God. The next day mysterious
deliveries of wood and ancient tools begin to arrive at
the Baxter household, along with a yellow-bordered Ark
Building for Dummies book.
As in the first film, Morgan Freeman takes on the role
of God and runs with it, having a jolly good time as Evan
is thrust into the role of a dutiful Noah. In addition
to having to build an ark in his subdivision, Evan finds
that he can’t stop growing a beard of biblical proportions
and an increasingly large number of animals are following
his every step.
All of this, of course, creates havoc in his congressional
office and that is where most of this film’s laugh-out-loud
moments occur. As congressional aides Marty, Rita and
Eugene, comedy veterans John Michael Higgins, Wanda Sykes
and Jonah Hill have the lion’s share of the funny
lines in Evan Almighty, with Carell relegated to frustrated
facial expressions and pratfalls.
The last third of Evan Almighty is probably one of the
more predictable endings ever slapped on a movie. Evan
is censored by his congressional mates, ridiculed by his
neighbors and abandoned by his family. Joan has second
thoughts about the meaning of the ark (Joan of Ark, get
it?), returns to Evan and gets the boys to help their
father with his little construction project. Without spoiling
too much, let’s just say that Evan saves the day
and Congressman Long gets his comeuppance.
The movie is supposed to warm the heart with its hit-you-over-the-head
lessons of loyalty, family and being a good steward to
God’s Earth. They’re all great messages but
leave the viewer feeling more lectured than entertained.
Director Tom Shadyac has never been known for comedic
subtlety and his films such as Bruce Almighty, Patch Adams,
Liar Liar, The Nutty Professor and Ace Ventura all have
that broad, lowbrow sense of humor attached to manipulative
storylines. Here, he is even more direct: throwing cheesy
music behind every dramatic moment the Baxters share and
having bird poop rain from the sky when he needs a laugh.
Like I said before, Evan Almighty is reportedly the most
expensive comedy movie ever made. With its mix of computer
generated and genuine animals, the tab eventually rose
to an astounding $175 million. Add the standard $75 million
that it takes to promote and distribute a major summer
movie and we’re talking about a quarter of a billon
dollars here.
Too bad Evan Almighty has about a quarter of the laughs
found in one half-hour episode of Carell’s other
project, The Office.
Evan Almighty is rated PG for mild rude humor and some
peril. It is currently playing at Regal Cinemas in Boone.
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