Evan Almighty (2007)

Director:

Tom Shadyac

Writers (WGA):

Steve Oedekerk (screenplay)
Steve Oedekerk (story) ...

Release Date:

22 June 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

A comedy of biblical proportions

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Warning | Scene During End Credits | Tree | Ark | Drought

Awards:

1 win & 10 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Bruce Almighty 2 (USA) (working title)
Bruce: The Second Coming (USA) (working title)
The Passion of the Ark (USA) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild rude humor and some peril.

Runtime:

95 min | USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

UK:PG | Finland:K-7 | Portugal:M/6 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Australia:G | Argentina:Atp | Ireland:PG | New Zealand:PG | Taiwan:GP | USA:PG | Netherlands:6 | Malaysia:18PL | Hong Kong:I | Germany:6 | South Korea:All | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Peru:PT

Filming Locations:

Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

God's police motorcycle was an actual police-issue machine (with markings changed by the film crew) originally owned by the police department of Staunton, Virginia.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Members of Congress park in a garage, not outside.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
Joan Baxter: You want to build a boat?
Evan Baxter: It might be something fun for the family. Go sailing on the lake. I don't know.
[looking at his feet, under his breath]
Evan Baxter: Be great in case it floods or something...

Movie Connections:

References Jaws (1975)

Soundtrack:

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)

would've done better if marketed differently instead of lazily riding on the success of Bruce Almighty when it painfully couldn't deliver the same punches

This should've gone straight to video. Evan Almighty was not able to manage the expectations of those who came to see it anticipating as riotous a ride as its predecessor Bruce Almighty. It retained the premise of the original as a spin-off but it doesn't work not because Steve Carell is less talented than Jim Carrey but because he had lousy material to work with. Even Morgan Freeman (who reprises his role as God) lost the zing and impressive qualities he had in the first installment.

Evan Almighty apparently targets a family audience with its decidedly more religious overtones (check out what ARK really means), so it shouldn't have attempted to fool the audience by maintaining the Almighty franchise because it doesn't fit; its brand of humor and story simply failed to keep up.

It would've probably done better if it were marketed differently instead of lazily riding on the success of Bruce Almighty when it painfully couldn't deliver the same punches.