Bruce Almighty

TV news reporter Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) rails against an unjust God because his career is stalled and he’s had a few bad days—so God himself (Morgan Freeman) says he’ll take some time off; Bruce can have all God’s powers if Bruce thinks he’d do a better job with them. The script by Steve Koren, Mark O’Keefe and Steve Oedekerk is a rather crass reworking of the old H.G. Wells story The Man Who Could Work Miracles (filmed in 1936; check it out). Like Liar, Liar, Bruce Almighty is tailored to Carrey’s special talents, with distinct echoes of Groundhog Day’s theme of a self-absorbed jerk being forced to grow up in spite of himself. The inspiration flags after a while, but there are many hilarious moments, and the resolution (thanks to Jennifer Aniston as Carrey’s put-upon girlfriend) is sweetly touching.