Evan Almighty (2007)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Tom Shadyac

Writers (WGA):

Steve Oedekerk (screenplay)
Steve Oedekerk (story) ...

Release Date:

22 June 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

A comedy of biblical proportions

Plot:

God contacts Congressman Evan Baxter and tells him to build an ark in preparation for a great flood.

Plot Keywords:

God | Ark | Congressman | Change | Flood

Awards:

1 win & 10 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 12

2:30 PM

HBO

Cast

Steve Carell	...	Evan Baxter
Morgan Freeman	...	God
Lauren Graham	...	Joan Baxter
Johnny Simmons	...	Dylan Baxter
Graham Phillips	...	Jordan Baxter
Jimmy Bennett	...	Ryan Baxter
John Goodman	...	Congressman Long
Wanda Sykes	...	Rita
John Michael Higgins	...	Marty
Jonah Hill	...	Eugene
Molly Shannon	...	Eve Adams
Harve Presnell	...	Congressman Burrows
P.J. Byrne	...	Evan's Staffer
Ralph Louis Harris	...	Evan's Staffer (as Ralph Harris)
Arden Myrin	...	Evan's Staffer

Also Known As:

Bruce Almighty 2 (USA) (working title)
Bruce: The Second Coming (USA) (working title)
The Passion of the Ark (USA) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild rude humor and some peril.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG | Netherlands:6 | UK:PG | Finland:K-7 | Ireland:PG | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/6 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Australia:G | Germany:6 | Malaysia:18PL | Hong Kong:I | South Korea:All | Taiwan:GP | Argentina:Atp | Peru:PT | New Zealand:PG | Sweden:7 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Evan's wife's name is Joan, as in Joan of Arc (Ark). The real estate agent's name is Eve Adams, as in Adam and Eve.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Evan is talking to his wife on the ark after the rain, the deck is wet but the top of the wooden rail around the bow of the ark is dry.

Quotes:

God: [on a piece of paper] Ask, and you receive.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: The Ark, the Animals and 'Evan Almighty' (#14.12)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

One Love

Mighty Mediocre

Steve Carell reprises his role as Evan Baxter in this sequel to Bruce Almighty.

Evan Almighty jumps right into the mix of things with little build up. Right off the bat we find out that news anchor Evan Baxter has segued his career into one of political aspirations. Soon after being elected to the United States Congress under a slogan painting him as a politician out to change the world, God (Morgan Freeman) commissions Baxter to build an ark in the midst of one of the worst droughts in the history of the area.

In a predictable move the area townspeople antagonize Baxter as he begins the construction of the ark. Baxter's reputation is further soiled by the fact that his political career is being looked as a joke when he starts wearing sack cloth on a regular basis, and animals of all kinds are following him around in pairs. Baxter's boss Congressman Long, who once supported him quickly, becomes the antagonist as the people begin to turn against Baxter.

Evan Almighty is predictable on every turn, and has enough humor to satisfy. The animals do their part to provide a fair share of fecal humor. Morgan Freeman offers up plenty of wisdom in the role of God. Steve Carell does an exceptionally adequate job of delivering very humorous dialogue, which in his style is sure to be adlibbed in great part. The sheer amounts of animals in this film are overwhelming and a treat to behold. Overall the storyline and humor feel very cliché. Evan Almighty was a mild success, but just does not offer anything special apart from a few good laughs. Parents with children will get their money's worth out of this, but for everyone else it is a worthwhile rental.