Critic Reviews
Bruce Almighty (2003) Rank 2 Reviews
Expert Review Summary
based on (475) reviews
Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating
Reviews by Score:
CineFile : il Cinema in Rete (Alberto Cassani)
TheWorldJournal.com (Frank Ochieng)
stylusmagazine.com (Jay Millikan)
stylusmagazine.com (Jay Millikan)
stylusmagazine.com (Jay Millikan)
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
The film is worth seeing for Freeman and a few isolated gags, but Bruce is never the wildly funny farce it might have been, nor the deep-dish meaning-of-life tract it thinks it is. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
The New York Times (Stephen Holden)
Even more than Jerry Lewis, Robin Williams or Pee-wee Herman, Mr. Carrey, now 41 (pretty old for an overgrown kid), sustains a maniacal energy that explodes off the screen in blinding electrical zaps. Those jolts don't always feel pleasant. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at The New York Times (Stephen Holden)
This is Lancashire (--)
eFilmCritic.com (Oz)
Never before have I heard the F word used in a film about God, though I'm sure there were times in Passion of the Christ when Jesus was thinking it... ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Oz)
filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
So funny I seriously thought I was going to fall out of my chair. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
Arizona Republic (Bill Muller)
The movie works when Carrey's mugging it up ... but melts into a saccharine tub of goo when he plays it straight. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Arizona Republic (Bill Muller)
New York Times (Stephen Holden)
Rambunctiously funny. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at New York Times (Stephen Holden)
Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)
A fun summer flick, but it's certainly not God's gift to comedy. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)
Orlando Sentinel (Jay Boyar)
Often entertaining, but it could have been more. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Orlando Sentinel (Jay Boyar)
Radio Free Entertainment (Andrew Manning)
Consistently amusing, despite being formulaic and occasionally sappy. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Radio Free Entertainment (Andrew Manning)
iofilm.co.uk (The Wolf)
The problem, as always, is the script. About three quarters of the way through, it goes gooey, which is not Carrey at all. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at iofilm.co.uk (The Wolf)
Mr. Cranky Rates the Movies (Mr. Cranky)
Empire Magazine (--)
Daytona Beach News-Journal (Fl.) (Jeff Farance)
Movie Marshal (Ryan Lester)
Movieman's Guide to the Movies (Brian Oliver)
Film Values/Family Values (H. Arthur Taussig)
ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
LA Weekly (John Powers)
Carrey's schizophrenic new effort gives you both at once -- it drowns his hilarious physicality in an ocean of sap. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at LA Weekly (John Powers)
ShowBIZ Data (--)
Xi-online (Mike Peek)
Xi-online (Mike Peek)
Xi-online (Mike Peek)
cinEncanto (Pablo del Moral)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The movie is mainly an excuse to display special-effects gags in the form of the various miracles manifested -- some of which are highly imaginative, some of which aren't. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Boxoffice Magazine
Pop Entertainment.com
Pop Entertainment.com
National Post (Scott Feschuk)
The script became as gooey as the bounteous torso of Marlon Brando. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at National Post (Scott Feschuk)
Variety (Robert Koehler)
There's remarkably little done with a premise snatched from high-concept heaven, adding yet another file to the growing cabinet of under-realized comedies. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Variety (Robert Koehler)
Chicago Tribune (Mark Caro)
Just a vehicle for Carrey to do his hyperactive shtick. He has some entertaining bits, such as his rain-drenched meltdown in which he victimizes some stunned innocents, but he’s working so strenuously that at times he’s hard to watch. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Chicago Tribune (Mark Caro)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)
The whole thing reeks of the formulaic, of a carefully packaged bid to propel the star back to his appointed place in the commercial constellation, all the while depriving him of the dark side that got him there in the first place. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)
Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Pious sentiment clashes with comic histrionics, leaving the story floundering for tact and grasping at an indistinct point. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Todd Anthony)
The tale goes all sentimental and preachy, which might have worked had the director been Frank Capra. But it isn't; it's Tom Shadyac. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Todd Anthony)
Los Angeles Times (Kevin Thomas)
While Bruce Almighty does end on a modest "Candide"-like note, the getting there is too strained to be much of a pleasure. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Los Angeles Times (Kevin Thomas)
San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
Even apart from the fact that it's not nearly funny enough, Bruce Almighty is a peculiar film. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)
Like nearly all the Carrey movies, Bruce Almighty groans from the disparity between his talent and the writers working hard to deliver broad, forced material that only he might save. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (Jack Garner)
Your tolerance for Bruce will depend on the sensitivity of your cinematic sweet tooth. Sweet to one viewer is sappy to another. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (Jack Garner)
Hartford Courant (--)
Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
It's a crazy quilt made of bits from all of Shadyac's work. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Newsday (Jan Stuart)
At the end of the day, Carrey is far more palatable and sincere under a devil's mask than a cardboard halo. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Newsday (Jan Stuart)
Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
A lame supernatural comedy that loses Jim Carrey in a wilderness of witlessness. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas) (Jonathan R. Perry)
As if running low on dramatic irony, Jim Carrey and his just-add-water team of merry pranksters from 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective' and 'Liar Liar' come armed with a premise as heavenly as they come — and aim for sea level. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas) (Jonathan R. Perry)
San Jose Mercury News (Bruce Newman)
Jim Carrey riffs, wickedly, on what it's like to be God, then whiffs, sanctimoniously, on what it's like to be human. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at San Jose Mercury News (Bruce Newman)
Contra Costa Times (Mary F. Pols)
It's a Wonderful Life is a homemade apple pie, warm from the oven and topped with vanilla bean ice cream. Bruce Almighty is a bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Contra Costa Times (Mary F. Pols)
Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
One gets the feeling that for a movie star like Carrey, being God is a lateral move at best. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
The film, particularly in its first and last third, seems sadly devoid of imagination. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
Kvikmyndir.com (Guojon Helgason)
UK Critic (Ian Waldron-Mantgani)
The movie is in a hurry to show Jim Carrey goin' all crazy with his superpowers, and doesn't have the energy to give us a credible premise. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at UK Critic (Ian Waldron-Mantgani)
Film Threat (Rick Kisonak)
Long before you buy your ticket to the new Jim Carrey film, you've already been doomed to disappointment. Several parties play a role in this. Interestingly, Jim Carrey isn't one of them. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Film Threat (Rick Kisonak)
Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)
DigitalVD.de (Carsten Scheibe)
Movie Gazette (Gary Panton)
Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)
Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)
Accessible movie reviews (Joe Clark)
Morgan Freeman as God or Jim Carrey as a mortal with enough responsibility to bear God’s powers. Which is harder to believe?
Answer: It’s a tie.
One had just finished watching Russell T. Davies’ British miniseries The Second Coming over the ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Accessible movie reviews (Joe Clark)
Movie Habit (Ryan Hurtig)
Movie Habit (Ryan Hurtig)
Movie Habit (Ryan Hurtig)
Slate (David Edelstein)
Coarse and chaotic remake. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Slate (David Edelstein)
Media-Assault.com (Sean Caszatt)
IOFilm
Despite some funny moments and a better-than-he's-done-lately performance from Jim Carrey, Bruce Almighty is a middling, ultimately shallow comedy that deals in issues of religion yet has next to nothing to say about any of them.
After a brief detour ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at IOFilm
Palo Alto Online (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)
Xiibaro Productions (David Perry)
Austin Chronicle (Kimberley Jones)
Bruce Almighty attempts to blend both sides of the actor – comedic and dramatic – and while Carrey achieved that balance quite wonderfully in "The Truman Show," Bruce Almighty doesn't so much straddle the fence as impale itself on it. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Austin Chronicle (Kimberley Jones)
Austin Chronicle (Kimberley Jones)
Bruce Almighty attempts to blend both sides of the actor – comedic and dramatic – and while Carrey achieved that balance quite wonderfully in "The Truman Show," Bruce Almighty doesn't so much straddle the fence as impale itself on it. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Austin Chronicle (Kimberley Jones)
Cinema Signals by The Filmiliar Cineaste
Cinema Signals by The Filmiliar Cineaste
Jigsaw Lounge (Neil Young)
New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
The actors don't seem to have been directed at all, and the movie is very sluggishly paced. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
MovieJustice (Pat Toner)
Jigsaw Lounge (Neil Young)
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Rick Groen)
From the script to the title character to the direction, the watchwords here are three: Play it safe. The whole thing reeks of the formulaic. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Rick Groen)
Jigsaw Lounge (Neil Young)
Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Any story from the "Patch Adams" team of director Tom Shadyac and writer Steve Oedekerk is bound to end up floating in a soup of moral homilies, and "Bruce" does. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Austin Chronicle (Kimberley Jones)
Bruce Almighty attempts to blend both sides of the actor – comedic and dramatic – and while Carrey achieved that balance quite wonderfully in "The Truman Show," Bruce Almighty doesn't so much straddle the fence as impale itself on it. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Austin Chronicle (Kimberley Jones)
Projectionist (Sean Caszatt)
DVDTalk.com (Megan Denny)
Salon (Andrew O'Hehir)
Unless you like boob jokes and preachy sentimentalism, this comedy isn't funny at all. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Salon (Andrew O'Hehir)
Providence Journal (Michael Janusonis)
Chicago Reader (Staff (Not credited))
Without a decent script, Carrey can't create much of a character, and the farce loses its edge the moment it starts trying to tell a coherent story. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Chicago Reader (Staff (Not credited))
Screen It! (Jim Judy)
Carrey makes the most of the material, but his is only a mediocre effort and clearly far from his best work. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Screen It! (Jim Judy)
Las Vegas Weekly (Josh Bell)
I was really rooting for Bruce to ignore the responsibilities and give God the holy middle finger. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Las Vegas Weekly (Josh Bell)
Boxoffice Magazine (Michael Tunison)
While the filmmakers work the concept for a few nice twists, most of what follows feels as gimmicky and contrived as it is, with only Carrey's superhumanly energetic delivery keeping many scenes from falling flat. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Boxoffice Magazine (Michael Tunison)
Jam! Movies (Bruce Kirkland)
Lurches along in fits and starts, from funny to embarrassing, from earnest to egotistical, from yuks to yuck! ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Jam! Movies (Bruce Kirkland)
Toronto Star (Geoff Pevere)
Carrey seems engaged in a kind of war with his own best comic instincts. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Toronto Star (Geoff Pevere)
eFilmCritic.com (Scott Weinberg)
When Bruce Almighty 's Act III schmaltz-fest kicks in, the film feels as schizophrenic as the audience feels insulted. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Scott Weinberg)
Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
The yocks appeal mostly to the juvenile funnybone. But, the message -- humility through wish fulfillment -- is too mocked up with a supposed sympathy for the character than that which we discover on screen. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
iofilm.co.uk (Sullivat)
I came, I saw, I laughed, I squirmed an awful lot ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at iofilm.co.uk (Sullivat)
Los Angeles Times (Kevin Thomas)
An unevenness of tone, which becomes manipulative in effect, echoes and compounds the unconvincing look and feel of the entire film. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at Los Angeles Times (Kevin Thomas)
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
A woefully underwritten motion picture that starts out as a dumb comedy before taking an ill-advised detour into mawkish sentimentality. The last 30 minutes of Bruce Almighty is so godawful that it almost sent me screaming from the theater. ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
TV Guide Entertainment Network, Movie Guide
David N. Butterworth
David N. Butterworth
Peter Sobczynski
Peter Sobczynski
David N. Butterworth
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Are a few good laughs worth wasting 100 minutes of time? For me, the answer is a resounding "No!" There are far more promising avenues to explore in the quest for laughter than the dead-end represented by Jim Carrey's latest endeavor, Bruce Almighty. Putt ...read the complete Bruce Almighty movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
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