Morgan Freeman is one of the most respected actors in Hollywood. In his career, which has spanned nearly six decades, the actor has rightly earned a reputation for being one of the best in the business.
The Unforgiven actor has teamed up with an assortment of other artists, but his work with Jim Carrey was very special. Carrey himself is regarded as one of the most versatile actors. From comedic performances in films like The Mask, to a poignant one in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, his talent is limitless. Unsurprisingly, if Freeman got a chance to work with Carrey again, he would agree to it in a heartbeat.
Morgan Freeman and Jim Carrey teamed up once (Source: Bruce Almighty)
Morgan Freeman is ready to work with Jim Carrey again
Morgan Freeman and Jim Carrey are two of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Their collaboration on Bruce Almighty in 2003 was mouthwatering for their fans,...
The Unforgiven actor has teamed up with an assortment of other artists, but his work with Jim Carrey was very special. Carrey himself is regarded as one of the most versatile actors. From comedic performances in films like The Mask, to a poignant one in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, his talent is limitless. Unsurprisingly, if Freeman got a chance to work with Carrey again, he would agree to it in a heartbeat.
Morgan Freeman and Jim Carrey teamed up once (Source: Bruce Almighty)
Morgan Freeman is ready to work with Jim Carrey again
Morgan Freeman and Jim Carrey are two of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Their collaboration on Bruce Almighty in 2003 was mouthwatering for their fans,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Sreshtha Roychowdhury
- FandomWire
Steve Carell’s career-making turn as the Jim Carrey-cursed news anchor Evan Baxter in “Bruce Almighty” made him the hottest breakout star in Hollywood. And “hot” is what his performance was — literally — because his head was set on fire to kick up the action in that showstopping scene.
“That was basically the first time I was ever in a movie,” Carell said on “The Graham Norton Show” of his short but memorable role in “Bruce Almighty.” “The part they cut out is when Jim Carrey makes my nose start to bleed profusely, which they thought [was] too mean of him to do as a character… and then my head burst into flames.”
In the film, Carrey plays Bruce Nolan, a TV field reporter with ambitions of becoming a news anchor. After God bestows him divine powers, Bruce manipulates poor Evan during a live broadcast, making him act like a total idiot in the process.
“That was basically the first time I was ever in a movie,” Carell said on “The Graham Norton Show” of his short but memorable role in “Bruce Almighty.” “The part they cut out is when Jim Carrey makes my nose start to bleed profusely, which they thought [was] too mean of him to do as a character… and then my head burst into flames.”
In the film, Carrey plays Bruce Nolan, a TV field reporter with ambitions of becoming a news anchor. After God bestows him divine powers, Bruce manipulates poor Evan during a live broadcast, making him act like a total idiot in the process.
- 5/23/2020
- by Rosemary Rossi
- The Wrap
Bruce Almighty
Opens
Friday, May 23
In the opening moments of "Bruce Almighty", Jim Carrey, as Buffalo, N.Y., TV reporter Bruce Nolan, is conducting an interview with the bakers of a giant cookie. There are all kinds of shenanigans going on in the scene, but what you really notice is the intelligent, devilish gleam in Carrey's eyes -- a promise of irreverence that many will welcome after his over-earnest turn in "The Majestic". Reteaming with director Tom Shadyac ("Ace Ventura: Pet Detective", "Liar Liar"), the star is in loose-limbed form, with healthy doses of fury, in a film that mostly succeeds at fusing his slapstick talents and more heartfelt inclinations.
Happily, the sappiness that creeps around the edges of the script by Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk doesn't overtake the strong, cleansing humor until late in the proceedings. Reining in his tendency to go over the top, Carrey is appealing here in a way that even nonfans will likely appreciate, though they might not buy the protagonist's conversion from know-it-all to all-embracing. Those eagerly awaiting his new big-screen work will flock to theaters for a mighty opening and continued celestial boxoffice.
Fed up with being the "human interest" guy who makes people laugh and hungry for the anchor spot soon to be vacated by a retiring colleague, Bruce is devastated during sweeps when his mealy-mouthed rival, Evan Baxter (Steven Carell) -- who must be a younger, smarter relation of Ted Baxter -- gets the promotion. Bruce's live, on-air reaction to the news is one of the best scenes in the film. But that kind of wild, free-floating indignation, though thrilling and funny, is the problem to be remedied: Our hero, who is promptly fired, needs to see the light.
Soon enough, the light hits him directly from its heavenly source. Bruce's despondence over being stalled in his career carries over into a general frustration with what he considers the mediocrity of his life. Not only is he out of work, living in a kind of limbo with his girlfriend of five years, Grace (Jennifer Aniston), but their dog refuses to be house-trained and his car is a wreck. Not quite the Job of Buffalo, he angrily tells God, "The only one around here not doing his job is you!"
Apparently that really gets God's attention. Via persistent pager messages, the Lord summons Bruce to a warehouse belonging to Omni Presents Inc., where God (Morgan Freeman), who doubles as a janitor, gives Bruce a chance at the helm. The only stipulations are that Bruce can't tell anyone about the deal and he can't mess with free will.
Courtesy of the polished film's clever visual effects, Bruce uses his new powers in creative ways: parting a bowl of tomato soup, achieving one-upmanship with a bunch of thugs, arranging an ultraromantic night with Grace and messing up Evan's on-air performance (a bit of nicely goofy work from Carell). After being rehired by his station, he concocts outrageous news scoops that earn him the moniker Mr. Exclusive and account for some of the funniest gags in the movie.
Given the natural disasters and (unbelievable) civil disobedience that Bruce inadvertently causes, some viewers might question why God would focus so much attention on a TV personality who's having an early midlife crisis. This is no mere angelic stand-in for God, after all, as in "It's a Wonderful Life" -- cited here on Grace's TV. The not-to-be-scrutinized premise adopts the popular notion of God as nice guy, a role Freeman fulfills with his unsurpassed equanimity, good humor and a steady, compassionate gaze.
But no one else gets to do much of interest. The colorful character actors Philip Baker Hall, Sally Kirkland and Nora Dunn are wasted in bland parts, while Aniston breathes as much life as she can into the standard-issue role of the supportive and patient girlfriend (who, in case there are any lingering doubts about her goodness, is a nursery school teacher named Grace).
Although the film's jabs at TV journalism are nothing new, Carrey brings to the material the sense of someone who's too smart for his work yet loves it -- the essence, perhaps, of being a ham. It's an exciting friction but one that's doomed to dissipate under the feel-good requirements of the script. Some will find that a letdown; Bruce's ambition and jealousy in the early going give the character his believable rough edges and fire -- the "divine spark" that Freeman's God sees in him and the same knowing look that lights up the screen the instant Carrey looks into the camera to deliver a spiel about a giant cookie.
BRUCE ALMIGHTY
Universal Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment
A Shady Acres/Pit Bull production
Credits:
Director: Tom Shadyac
Screenwriters: Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe, Steve Oedekerk
Producers: Tom Shadyac, Jim Carrey, James D. Brubaker, Michael Bostick, Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe
Executive producers: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Steve Oedekerk
Director of photography: Dean Semler
Production designer: Linda Descenna
Music: John Debney
Costume designer: Judy Ruskin
Editor: Scott Hill
Cast:
Bruce Nolan: Jim Carrey
God: Morgan Freeman
Grace Connelly: Jennifer Aniston
Jack Keller: Philip Baker Hall
Susan Ortega: Catherine Bell
Debbie: Lisa Ann Walter
Evan Baxter: Steven Carell
Ally Loman: Nora Dunn
Bobby: Eddie Jemison
Anita: Sally Kirkland
Tony Bennett: Himself
Running time -- 101 minutes
MPAA rating PG-13...
Friday, May 23
In the opening moments of "Bruce Almighty", Jim Carrey, as Buffalo, N.Y., TV reporter Bruce Nolan, is conducting an interview with the bakers of a giant cookie. There are all kinds of shenanigans going on in the scene, but what you really notice is the intelligent, devilish gleam in Carrey's eyes -- a promise of irreverence that many will welcome after his over-earnest turn in "The Majestic". Reteaming with director Tom Shadyac ("Ace Ventura: Pet Detective", "Liar Liar"), the star is in loose-limbed form, with healthy doses of fury, in a film that mostly succeeds at fusing his slapstick talents and more heartfelt inclinations.
Happily, the sappiness that creeps around the edges of the script by Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk doesn't overtake the strong, cleansing humor until late in the proceedings. Reining in his tendency to go over the top, Carrey is appealing here in a way that even nonfans will likely appreciate, though they might not buy the protagonist's conversion from know-it-all to all-embracing. Those eagerly awaiting his new big-screen work will flock to theaters for a mighty opening and continued celestial boxoffice.
Fed up with being the "human interest" guy who makes people laugh and hungry for the anchor spot soon to be vacated by a retiring colleague, Bruce is devastated during sweeps when his mealy-mouthed rival, Evan Baxter (Steven Carell) -- who must be a younger, smarter relation of Ted Baxter -- gets the promotion. Bruce's live, on-air reaction to the news is one of the best scenes in the film. But that kind of wild, free-floating indignation, though thrilling and funny, is the problem to be remedied: Our hero, who is promptly fired, needs to see the light.
Soon enough, the light hits him directly from its heavenly source. Bruce's despondence over being stalled in his career carries over into a general frustration with what he considers the mediocrity of his life. Not only is he out of work, living in a kind of limbo with his girlfriend of five years, Grace (Jennifer Aniston), but their dog refuses to be house-trained and his car is a wreck. Not quite the Job of Buffalo, he angrily tells God, "The only one around here not doing his job is you!"
Apparently that really gets God's attention. Via persistent pager messages, the Lord summons Bruce to a warehouse belonging to Omni Presents Inc., where God (Morgan Freeman), who doubles as a janitor, gives Bruce a chance at the helm. The only stipulations are that Bruce can't tell anyone about the deal and he can't mess with free will.
Courtesy of the polished film's clever visual effects, Bruce uses his new powers in creative ways: parting a bowl of tomato soup, achieving one-upmanship with a bunch of thugs, arranging an ultraromantic night with Grace and messing up Evan's on-air performance (a bit of nicely goofy work from Carell). After being rehired by his station, he concocts outrageous news scoops that earn him the moniker Mr. Exclusive and account for some of the funniest gags in the movie.
Given the natural disasters and (unbelievable) civil disobedience that Bruce inadvertently causes, some viewers might question why God would focus so much attention on a TV personality who's having an early midlife crisis. This is no mere angelic stand-in for God, after all, as in "It's a Wonderful Life" -- cited here on Grace's TV. The not-to-be-scrutinized premise adopts the popular notion of God as nice guy, a role Freeman fulfills with his unsurpassed equanimity, good humor and a steady, compassionate gaze.
But no one else gets to do much of interest. The colorful character actors Philip Baker Hall, Sally Kirkland and Nora Dunn are wasted in bland parts, while Aniston breathes as much life as she can into the standard-issue role of the supportive and patient girlfriend (who, in case there are any lingering doubts about her goodness, is a nursery school teacher named Grace).
Although the film's jabs at TV journalism are nothing new, Carrey brings to the material the sense of someone who's too smart for his work yet loves it -- the essence, perhaps, of being a ham. It's an exciting friction but one that's doomed to dissipate under the feel-good requirements of the script. Some will find that a letdown; Bruce's ambition and jealousy in the early going give the character his believable rough edges and fire -- the "divine spark" that Freeman's God sees in him and the same knowing look that lights up the screen the instant Carrey looks into the camera to deliver a spiel about a giant cookie.
BRUCE ALMIGHTY
Universal Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment
A Shady Acres/Pit Bull production
Credits:
Director: Tom Shadyac
Screenwriters: Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe, Steve Oedekerk
Producers: Tom Shadyac, Jim Carrey, James D. Brubaker, Michael Bostick, Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe
Executive producers: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Steve Oedekerk
Director of photography: Dean Semler
Production designer: Linda Descenna
Music: John Debney
Costume designer: Judy Ruskin
Editor: Scott Hill
Cast:
Bruce Nolan: Jim Carrey
God: Morgan Freeman
Grace Connelly: Jennifer Aniston
Jack Keller: Philip Baker Hall
Susan Ortega: Catherine Bell
Debbie: Lisa Ann Walter
Evan Baxter: Steven Carell
Ally Loman: Nora Dunn
Bobby: Eddie Jemison
Anita: Sally Kirkland
Tony Bennett: Himself
Running time -- 101 minutes
MPAA rating PG-13...
- 7/31/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
'Bruce Almighty' Leaves Woman with Hellish Torment
Jim Carrey's new comedy Bruce Almighty has caused a Florida woman to suffer constant harassment - because her number was given out in the movie as a direct line to God. In the film, Carrey stars as a regular guy who receives the powers of God - played by Morgan Freeman - after complaining too much about life. God tries to reach Bruce Nolan, Carrey's character, by repeatedly leaving a phone number on his pager. But instead of the usual 555 prefix most TV shows and films use in phone numbers, God's number is Pinellas Park glassmaker Dawn Jenkins' mobile phone number. Jenkins, who has been getting about 20 calls per hour, with callers asking for God before hanging up complains, "What am I to do? I e-mailed Universal Studios about this issue... I think I want payment." Jenkins isn't alone in her plight. The number on Carrey's pager also matches the one to a South Carolina woman who says she's been "getting aggravated to death" by the incessant calling. It also matches the number for a call center to a group of five Colorado talk-radio stations. Ron Nickel, senior vice president for the Radio Colorado Network, says, "My receptionist is going to go crazy."...
- 5/28/2003
- WENN
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