Other than The Truman Show, aka "Jim Carrey's attempt to be a serious actor," I had never seen a Jim Carrey movie. Not Liar Liar, not Ace Ventura, not Dumb and Dumber, nothing. I dislike his brand of comedy. Physical, over-the-top comedy just turns me off. However, I sat down and watched Bruce Almighty the other day because a) my friend and I were in the mood for something non-taxing and b) it was time to at least observe the Carrey oeuvre.
Well, it was pretty dumb. And Carrey was very, very annoying. His character was thoroughly unlikable, start to finish, and I find watching Jim Carrey to be sort of like watching someone who is socially inept at a party. Everyone knows that there's something a little off about him, but no one wants to speak up. Apparently some people find this hilarious, but I digress.
Bruce Almighty is a simple little movie about God going on vacation (why, and where, we're not entirely sure) and leaving Bruce, played by Carrey, with God's powers, which, unlike anything we've ever seen in, say, the book of Jeremiah, include giving his girlfriend (played by Jennifer Aniston) bigger breasts and having great sex. Ooookay.
Aniston was good though, in a limited role, but I generally like her, so this is no surprise. I think schlocking around in this movie was a step down after her nuanced turn in The Good Girl, but I think she maybe just wanted to be in a blockbuster.
In any event, it was a pretty empty movie. I've decided that I much prefer a God who chooses a relatively sensible and perceptive teenage girl (cf: Joan of Arcadia) as an assistant, than a selfish, crude middle aged television reporter.
Posted by waking slow at December 23, 2003 07:45 AM