Evan Almighty (2007)

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

Director:

Tom Shadyac

Writers:

Steve Oedekerk (screenplay), Steve Oedekerk (story)

Stars:

Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham

2 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Buffalo newsman Evan Baxter is elected to Congress with the slogan, "Change the world." He lucks into a huge house in a new Virginia suburb. His Capitol office is also fantastic, but there's a catch: he's tapped by the powerful Congressman Long to co-sponsor a bill to allow development in national parks. In steps God, who appears to a disbelieving Evan and gently commands him to build an ark. Tools and wood arrive in Evan's yard, animal pairs follow, his beard and hair grow wildly, nomad's clothes and a staff appear. Long grows impatient, Evan starts building, his family leaves him, reporters gather, and drought grips D.C. Still, Evan believes. But will he change the world?

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Plot Keywords:

ark | congressman | change | flood | depiction of god | 

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Taglines:

Evan help us

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild rude humor and some peril

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Spain] Paramount [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 June 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bruce Almighty 2

Filming Locations:

Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$175,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,192,615, 24 June 2007, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$100,462,298

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$173,418,781

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures,Spyglass Entertainment,Relativity Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For a cloudburst scene, it took hours to raise a pipework "rain rig" by crane over the Ark and then to position the hundreds of extras and set the equipment. After a practice take, the filmmakers saw an attractive cloud which they hoped to use as background while Evan speaks -except that the rain rig would be in the shot. During the hour it took to move away the cranes, of course the cloud moved away. The area was reset for the cloudburst scene (another hour) and by then the day's sunlight was spent. The scene was put off for another day.

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Goofs

The European map on the wall in the hallway is totally incorrect. Portugal seems to be part of Spain, Turkey is smaller, there's a new country on eastern Mediterranean and Northern African countries are dislocated.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Susan Ortega: And that's the news. But before we sign off, we'd like to thank our very own Evan Baxter, who has just been elected Buffalo's representative to Congress. And now we have a surprise for Evan.
Evan Baxter: No, you don't.
Susan Ortega: We do.
Evan Baxter: Oh, no. I really didn't expect this.
Susan Ortega: Here's a look back at his run for office.

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Crazy Credits

The Department of Homeland Security's cooperation and assistance does not reflect an endorsement of the contents of the film or the treatment of the characters therein.

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Connections

References The Daily Show (1996)

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Soundtracks

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
Written by Robert Clivillés and Freedom Williams
Performed by C+C Music Factory (as C & C Music Factory)
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment

User Reviews

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.