Friday, March 2, 2012

Evan Almighty

Released Year: 2007
Directed by Tom Shadyac

Casted by:
Steve Carell as Evan Baxter
Morgan Freeman as God
Lauren Graham as Joan Baxter
Johnny Simmons as Dylan Baxter
Graham Phillips as Jordan Baxter
Jimmy Bennett as Ryan Baxter
John Goodman as Chuck Long
Story:
Newly elected to Congress, former local television news reporter Evan Baxter leaves his hometown of Buffalo, New York and moves to suburban northern Virginia, where his campaign promise to "change the world" is ridiculed by some, but Evan remains optimistic about his new position. On the first day on his job, Evan is given a spacious office and is invited to co-sponsor a bill with top congressman Chuck Long, something rare for a first-timer. His family is happy, but due to the change in their situation to the move when Evan's wife Joan, who prays that Evan will have a greater sense of togetherness. Everything seems to be going well for Evan. Soon after Evan's arrival to Congress, strange things start to happen in his household:

1. Evan's alarm clock repeatedly goes off at 6:14 A.M. despite being set for a different time every night.
2. Large quantities of ancient tools and wood are delivered to Evan's house daily without explanation.
3. Animals follow Evan without any apparent reason (with birds even getting into his office through the window).
4. Evan grows a beard that magically grows itself back no matter how many times he shaves.
5. Eight vacant lots in Evan's neighborhood are purchased in his name.
6. A mysterious company named GO-4-WOOD delivers a shipment of lumber that Evan did not order.
7. The number "614" follows Evan everywhere he goes.

Evan soon learns that 614 refers to the verse in the Book of Genesis, where God (Morgan Freeman) instructs Noah to build an Ark in preparation for a flood. God shows himself to Evan, cordially insisting that Evan should build an Ark as well. Although Evan resists, God follows him using different guises and eventually convinces Evan to build the Ark. Joan, concerned about his behaviour, believes that Evan is having a mid-life crisis. Without Joan's support, Evan enlists his three sons Dylan, Jordan, and Ryan (Johnny Simmons, Graham Phillips, and Jimmy Bennett) to help him to build the Ark. Reappearing, God tells Evan the flood will come on September 22 at noon. The Ark used for filming was located in Crozet, Virginia.

Animals continue to follow Evan around, getting increasingly annoying as time passes. At first, Long is unimpressed, and allows this behavior to occur, but warns Evan that he will not want any more animal surprises. Unfortunately, the animals follow Evan to Congress numerous times despite his efforts to detain them. This compels Evan to confess to Long, other Congressmen in the room, and the television cameras broadcasting the meeting is that the reason for the animals, strange behavior, robe, and beard is because of God convincing Evan to build the Ark. Humiliating both Congress and the controversial Public Land Act bill that Long is attempting to pass, Evan is temporarily suspended from Congress and removed from Long's bill. As Evan is dragged away, some birds poop on Long upon departure. Joan becomes angry and disappointed on Evan's behavior and leaves Evan because she believes he is insane. Evan does not let this stop himself and continues to build the Ark alone, gaining international notice and public ridicule. Meanwhile, God appears to Joan, disguised as a waiter at a diner with his name tag "Al Mighty". In this guise, God tells Joan that he believes himself and does not give things, but only the opportunity by which to obtain things, and gives an example of family togetherness. Having a revelation, Joan returns to Evan with newfound faith to finish the Ark together. Meanwhile, word reaches Evan that Long has unexpectedly commissioned his dam and has to cut the corners in doing so.

On September 22, Evan loads hundreds of animals onto the newly finished Ark in front of hundreds of spectators and live news crews, and invites the crowd to join them, but is made fun of. However, the police arrive on the scene with a wrecking ball and attempt to destroy the Ark because of its violation of numerous building codes. Noon arrives, and minutes pass with no sign of rain, provoking spectator scorn. A short downburst of rain does come, but it is short-lived. Joan asks Evan to leave the Ark, explaining that he has built it and succeeded in his mission; but at this moment, Evan sees Long's dam burst from the distance. With the water from the dam rushing towards them, all of the spectators, reporters, and policemen immediately seek refuge in the Ark, which rides the flood through the streets of Washington, D.C.. The Ark eventually reaches its final destination in front of the Capitol, where other Congressmen are greeted by the Ark by crashing into the side of the structure. Long, who is outraged that the flood did really happen, is told by Evan that the flood was caused by his defective dam, but Long did not believe this, and was told already that this could not happen again. Those events entice Evan and other Congressmen to turn against Long. With Long under investigation about his dam, Evan celebrate the events by going on a hiking trip with Joan and three sons, where God reappears and tells Evan that the way to change the world is by doing one Act of Random Kindness (ARK) at a time. The film ends when Evan and God doing a happy dance together before God disappears, leaving Evan, Joan, and three sons behind.
L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment:
Love this film so much, the same type with Bruce Almighty but this time with Steve Carell who quickly take over the comedian place of Jim Carrey. :) The shooting of multiples animal together is not easy, and i believe they use up a lot of computer technique to shoot this~ i hope they are gonna do this religious-comedy again~

4 comments:

  1. I liked this one much more than Bruce Almighty. Steve Carell is simply a more tolerable actor.

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  2. Yes, i agree... sometime Jim Carrey is a bit too over~

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  3. yeah I love this movie much more than Bruce Almighty too!

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