Cady's Take:

Bruce is discontented with nearly everything in his life, and rarely misses an opportunity to complain about it. He is certain God has it in for him, and continues to rant to his girlfriend Grace (Jennifer Aniston) about how he could do it better if he were God. God (Morgan Freeman) answers his call and summons him to a meeting where he offers Bruce the chance to see if he could run the world any better. He gives Bruce the option to be the Almighty One for one week.

When Buffalo starts going to hell, along with his personal life, Bruce has some major decisions to make. The message relates the fact that humans cannot do God's job, and in fact will only screw it up. Despite Bruce’s pending woes, the guy really has it made but somehow he doesn’t see the bright light at the end of the tunnel. Bruce Almighty sets itself up for a big fall by overtly comparing itself to “It's a Wonderful Life” in a scene where Bruce lassos the moon for his girl. A stock ending predictably shows Bruce’s growth as a person, but the film never gets past amusement at its own conceit.

“Almighty” would’ve been far better served if they ditched the drippy dramatics and tried to make their points about the state of the world through laughs. Though Carrey elicits plenty of chuckles, the movie's biggest laugh comes from Carrell (one of the correspondents on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) as Evan Baxter. There’s a glorious scene in which Steve Carrell, out-Carreys Carrey himself.
Personifying God always runs the risk of offending sensitive viewers, even in an endeavor as slight as this one. But, this is a comedy that suggests the Almighty has a sense of humor. As God points out, making people laugh is a good thing. Who are we to disagree with God?

Personally I believe that Tom Shadyac’s best alliance with Jim Carrey was the more imaginative "Liar Liar” (about a lawyer who is compelled to tell the truth for twenty-four hours). "Bruce Almighty" may well be more popular, but it's a step backward for this prodigiously talented physical comedian.

After a few giggles, and one or two good laughs, “Bruce Almighty” lost its luster and became a typical movie, the one you rent on Saturday night and then on Monday say “I watched a pretty good movie Saturday night, what was it again……….oh ‘Bruce Almighty’.” Nothing special, nothing awful, “Bruce Almighty” is the story of Bruce Nolan, an anchorman stuck in a field reporter’s body, or so he thinks. After one failure after another, poor-me Bruce curses God and swears he can do a better job of running things. God obliges, and Bruce is entrusted with all the God-ly powers he can handle.

Morgan Freeman plays God, a mild mannered, witty gentleman who shows Bruce that being omnipotent is not all it is cracked up to be, and of course Bruce learns that Success Comes With a Price and that With Power Comes Responsibility. Freeman is funny and fatherly, and this performance is a big improvement over his crazed army general in “Dreamcatcher.” Jennifer Aniston is adorable as ever as Grace (um, yeah), Bruce’s long-suffering girlfriend. He loses her halfway through the movie and the rest of the movie is about Bruce finding himself and finding “Grace” – literally and figuratively. Subtle.

It is almost impossible to say about a movie starring Jim Carrey “You should not see that.” I will not say it about “Bruce Almighty.” Is it a good picture, something to rent with your older kids (14 and up)? Yes. Is it a great movie, one I cannot believe it took me so long to see? No.