Bruce Almighty

The critics are all over the map on this one. MetaCritic has opinions ranging from 20 to 80 (out of possible 100).

I give it a solid 80. Here\’s why.

Bruce is a story of faith. It is a journey of coming out of darkness into the light. It paints a wonderful picture of prayer as a vital means for communing with God, and most certainly causes people to reflect on their own relationship with their creator. Finally, it has some genuinely funny moments!

In this age where Hollywood oozes cynicism and post-modern thought out of every pore, it is refreshing to see a film portray God in a positive light. It\’s even more refreshing when the lead characters \”gets the message\” by the end of the film.

Bruce Almighty was a hybrid mix of Liar, Liar (Carrey\’s hyperactive comedy style), Oh God (God speaking to man in contemporary culture), and It\’s a Wonderful Life (Capra\’s heartfelt happily-ever-afters). While paced a bit unevenly, the film manages to capture Carrey\’s laugh-out-loud humor and his heart in one fell swoop.

Many of the spiritual connections were blatant. Bruce Nolan (Carrey) is praying for signs from God and he misses those that are in-your-face obvious, such as a truck load of street signs blaring \”Wrong Way\”, \”Detour\”, and \”U-Turn\”. How often do we pray for God to intervene and we manage to not see or hear in spite of His answer?

Once Bruce receives the gift of the power of God, he tends to use it in selfish ways, sometimes bringing about disastrous results. How many of us, if given these same powers, would not seek to use those powers for our own selfish gain?

Free will. Ah, the issue that just won\’t go away, and Bruce Almighty addresses it in true form. If God forced us to do what it right, we would not have free will. And is forced love true love? Not really. The movie accurately portrays the dilemma posed by philosophers and theologians throughout history. God is love. He wants us to love Him by seeking Him and His will. But He does not force His will on us. He gives us a choice. Bruce can not force Grace (Jennifer Anniston) to love him, and it tears him up inside.

The movie ended on a very capra-esque note. Many critics would call the ending \”sappy\”. Depending on your view of God and humanity, I can understand this position. But theologically, I felt like it hit the nail on the head, despite the cynical view of an unbelieving world.

Those are just some of my thoughts. For a more thorough review of the film, I recommend David Bruce\’s review at HollywoodJesus.com. Oh, and go see the movie!