|  The
story takes place in Buffalo, New York and revolves around a good-hearted
and funny TV reporter Bruce Nolan (JIM CARREY) and his desire for
worldly success. Bruce can feel the age of 40 around the corner,
believes he has little to show for his time in the television business,
and stakes his salvation on becoming an anchor at Channel
7 (the number isn't a coincidence) and eventual stardom
like his idol Walter Cronkite. Bruce's girlfriend Grace
(JENNIFER ANISTON) runs a daycare, participates in charitable activities,
and has an active prayer life. She loves Bruce in the present--not
for what he could become--however he's unable to see how much he
has in his life. He chooses to look at what he doesn't have at the
moment. Bruce's rage at God culminates after he's passed over for
an open TV anchor spot and he blames God for all his "failures"
and doubts whether God cares for him at all. God then calls Bruce
to Him and offers him all of His powers so he can see what a tough
job it is being God. The overall experience changes Bruce's perspective
on things and allows some great lessons to be taught to both Bruce
AND the audience.
 The
movie also takes some shots at the television industry. Many times
the media serves as publicity for business interests and political
propaganda. A lot of the focus is on the reporter and not on the
relevance of the news these days. Today's reporters and anchors
are generally kept on until their age and salary become hindrances
to the corporation. There are many fresh graduates who are ready
to take their place at a far lower cost to the company. These factors
add to the obsession with youth and appearance and can make for
a cut-throat workplace, not just between management and employees
but among colleagues. During news intros you'll hear things along
the lines of "WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR DRYER CAN KILL YOU"
in order to keep viewers tuned in so the company can keep their
ad rates stable or increase them. Then when they return from commercial
they tell you to make sure and clean your lint filter--great advice,
but the alarmist nature is a little too much for this reviewer.
*SPOILERS ABOUND*
I was just going to talk about certain themes in the film, but could
not narrow it down. I loved "Bruce Almighty" and was moved so greatly
I decided to write about all I could think of and then some. Please
bare with me and I apologize if I bore you or get to preaching too
much to the choir.
"God" is the first word uttered on camera and the
line tells us Bruce is beginning to doubt whether God cares about
him ("God, why do you hate me?). His faith is flailing--if it was
ever authentic to begin with. We learn that Bruce is a kind-natured
person and has a gift for making people laugh. After losing the
open anchor spot to Evan Baxter (STEVE CARRELL), Bruce goes off
the deep end and blames God for all that is wrong in his life. After
being fired after an on-air outburst, Bruce helps a homeless man
who is being harassed by a group of men. He is beaten up defending
the man and may be questioning, "Why even be good?" That night Bruce
and Grace get into an argument--he says, "God's ignoring me!" but
the truth may be that Bruce has been ignoring God. He says he's
tired of his "mediocre" job, apartment, and life. Grace asks, "What's
wrong with mediocre?" We often try to live up to what other people
appear to be or what society values--what others think we should
be rather than who we are ourselves. In the process we ignore what
God values in our lives and we may find we have no peace of mind,
no moments of grace. We try to control where we're going, but God
may have other plans in mind for us. Alan Ball, "American Beauty"
screenwriter says, "It's more difficult to lead an authentic life
than an inauthentic one. But it's worth it."
Bruce goes for a drive and asks God for a signal. Along the way
he sees signs--CAUTION AHEAD, WRONG WAY, STOP, YIELD, DEAD
END--before crashing into a light pole. There are often
subtle signs from God all around if our spiritual eyes are wide
open. They don't always appear in dramatic fashion, but may seem
that way after the fact. We often don't realize a changing point
in our lives until we've been through it. God is not always found
through prayer beads and the traditional fare, but rather when we
give up all control, open our hearts and minds, and let him into
our lives. It's been said that God speaks in whispers, but often
it seems that way because there's so much noise in our lives. It
makes me think of playing hide and seek in pairs as a child--when
hiding in a quiet closet you can hear the person next to you whisper.
If we can put ourselves in a quiet place, take time for prayer,
Bible study, or whatever we do to draw close to God, the whispers
become audible. Bruce receives a page from a number he doesn't recognize
after throwing the prayer beads into the water.
The next morning Bruce keeps receiving pages (776-2323
-- scholars might be able to help me out here, but the 2323
brings to mind Psalm 23:2-3). We often keep ignoring
God's call in our lives, but God is persistent and does not give
up on any of us. However, he will not force us to come into His
light. Seems people often want proof of God's existence--a miraculous
sign or a moment we can't deny--instead of looking within and giving
God a chance. It's called faith for a reason. If we are forced to
believe, there is no authenticity to the relationship and to me
that's what God wants with us--a genuine relationship based on trust.
So many have searched, but not all have found refuge in God or felt
the Holy Spirit's presence. Some can't get past all the dogma and
open up their hearts, or can't get past all the horrible things
done in the name of God throughout history. Many wonder if God even
exists. The author of The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty states,
"My reason tells me by and by that never in the course of human
history has nature, if you want to call God nature, imbued man or
even animal with a desire for something which is unattainable. Meaning
if there's thirst, there is water somewhere. If there's hunger,
there's food."
 Bruce
comes to 77256 23rd St (Omni Presents building)
and encounters God (MORGAN FREEMAN) as a janitor.
The janitor asks to help mop the floor and Bruce declines, but says
he's free on the 7th at 7pm (God's perfect
number). This encounter brought to mind the story of Jesus
washing the disciples' feet (John 13: 1-17). What many at the time
considered to be a lowly service, Jesus performed himself. It reminds
me that God doesn't consider any task or any person lowly and we
shouldn't either--we are to see people as God sees them. (Matthew
25: 40 -- "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the
least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.") Bruce takes the
stairs to Room 7 and encounters God as
an electrician working on a light above. When it shines
brightly upon him, Bruce's sensitive reaction prompts God to comment
that people "spend their lives in the dark trying to hide from me."
When we've been in the dark for a long time, even the faintest glimpse
of light seems bright. God then strips off his work clothes
to reveal a pure white suit. This whole segment could be speaking
of the common Christian notion of the Trinity (janitor/cleaner
= cleansing power of Jesus; electrician/light provider = The Holy
Spirit; the boss = God the Father). God knows all the details
of Bruce's life. He comments on the pleasures of manual labor ("there's
freedom in it") and how the ego is a hindrance to man. Bruce is
given many of God's powers so he can realize how tough it is to
run the world. The only catch is he cannot affect free will and
cannot tell anyone of his powers. God tells Bruce, "Believe me,
you don't want that kind of attention." I immediately thought of
the Jesus that we read about in the Gospels. It seems Christ was
careful not to make a huge fuss early on about being the Son of
God because he knew he had teaching to do before His eventual death.
He first convinced people through how He made them feel in their
soul, how he treated them, and the things he did, rather than just
demanding belief from the get go. In the long run Bruce comes to
understand many wonderful truths.
 After
Bruce dabbles in his new powers, God comes to him at a diner and
says, "Take a closer walk with me." Will we walk with God and allow
him to teach us and help us understand? He just wants us to walk
with him and come to know him personally. We often ask why God doesn't
give us what we want. In the film God states, "Since when do people
know what they want?" God knows us better than we know ourselves.
From this point on, we begin to understand why God is God and we
are not. Bruce uses his new powers only for his own selfish desires--sexual
fulfillment for his girlfriend, revenge on others, career advancement,
etc. In another moment when he feels overbearing weight, Bruce calls
out to God and he's taken high upon Mt. Everest to admire the beauty
of God's creation. (Psalm 61: 2 -- From the ends of the earth I
call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock
that is higher than I.)
 As
time passes Bruce becomes wrapped up in his success and powers,
literally losing his Grace. If we don't take the
time to nurture our relationships--both with God and with others--we
can lose the very thing, the love (Grace), that makes any relationship
truly worth anything. As Bruce states, "Nothing feels right
without you Grace." AMEN! Bruce asks God, "How
do you make someone love you without affecting free will?" God replies,
"You come up with an answer to that, let me know." Are
we believers because we grew up in the church? Do we freely love
God or is it a thing we feel we're just supposed to do? Have we
made a personal commitment with God? Not just in a church in front
of a group of believers, but in those quiet times where it's just
you and God? (I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer
live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live
by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could
be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! -- Galatians
2: 20-21) God doesn't want to punish us for not loving him, but
rather wants to share his love with us on a personal level and show
us what true love really is. In my opinion, we are wired to know
God. He does not want to punish us, but we are made to work a certain
way in connection with God. It's not that we do bad things and God
punishes us per se, but rather we were created to function a certain
way and when we get off that track we lose peace of mind, become
filled with angst, and are without direction. In essence we've disconnected
ourselves from God's light and presence. Bruce tries all he can
to make Grace come back to him, but no matter what he does he cannot
make her choose to be with him.
 We
cannot force love--it is a matter of the soul. It's not
uncommon to hear people say, "I want to be married by this age,"
or "I want kids by this age." However there are some things we cannot
control--love, true love, is one of those things. If it's forced
affection it's not really love to begin with. There are instances
in the film where Bruce is forcing things to happen--forcing the
dog to go to the bathroom for example--but there's no free will
in that. God doesn't do that with people--he may coordinate things
to get our attention, but he never forces us to open our eyes. Once
we do He takes us under His wing and teaches us personally. The
spiritual walk is a marathon, not a race, and it may take some time
for lessons to set in or multiple reminders for us to understand
the significance and relevance of God's teachings in our lives.
Bruce finally experiences his first broadcast as anchor, but realizes
that it's not where he is supposed to be. He begins to see the error
of his ways and his misuse of power. He had used all his powers
for selfish reasons and worldly personal gain, but was still empty
inside. A poster of him falls to the ground outside the station
and the head is on fire like a sort of Antichrist.
He cries out to God and eventually is transported to the Omni Presents
building. God then teaches Bruce about everyday miracles.
 People
always ask if God does work miracles. Miracles often take place
within people. It's a miracle how I am here writing a review of
this movie from a spiritual perspective after where I was spiritually
5 years ago. It's a miracle when a family drifting towards divorce
and breaking apart comes together with a newfound love for each
other. They are all around us physically as well. Take the example
of the orchids in the film Adaptation--a
certain orchid type has markings like a bee, attracting the insect
to land on it to help ensure its pollination. In areas of high winds,
certain trees wrap their roots around each others' to help hold
each other up. If we could only learn to consistently do the same.
To me, those are miracles. If our eyes are trained to see the beauty
that lies before us, we can better recognize miracles.
 God
also says to Bruce--"That's the problem. Everybody keeps
looking up." We need to look up and be in contact
with God to find his will, but we also need to move forward and
realize that we have to have the courage to put ourselves out there
and in position for God to work through us in the world. We can
be God's hands in this world. We all have the power to be God's
miracles in seemingly small ways--giving blood, helping each other
out with the little things, maybe even by just smiling at someone
and saying hello or opening a door for another, or just being there
for others emotionally. You never know when something you do will
have an effect on another. In my opinion we are not here to judge
others' lifestyles and segregate ourselves from all the world, but
rather to be examples of God's love in the world. We can present
the messages of Jesus Christ, but God is the one who does the work
in people's hearts and souls. We just have to trust that God is
working in other people's lives for their eventual good. It is his
judgment in the end. ("Do not judge, and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you
will be forgiven." -- Luke 6: 37)
"Bruce Almighty" also addresses why all prayers can't be
answered YES. What happens to one of us often has an effect
on others. Earlier in the film Bruce pulls the moon closer to impress
Grace, unknowingly causing a tsunami wave across the globe. A parent
continually calling a child "stupid" can have an effect on that
person for life. When a couple has sex, the female's brain secretes
a hormone which bonds her to the male (similar to when breastfeeding
a child to bond her to the baby). What we consider casual, the body
and spirit often do not and we may experience great amounts of emotional
pain. Things happening all around us are affecting the world's future
and our personal futures, but there is new life to be found in Christ
no matter what has happened to us in the past. No matter how many
wrong steps we've taken, we can always trust in God and have our
paths straightened. (If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes
his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD
upholds him with his hand. -- Psalm 37: 23) As God and Bruce are
cleaning the floors at the building God states, "No matter
how filthy something gets you can always clean it."
Bruce leaves the building rejuvenated. He begins to help people
in little ways from then on--relinquishing his job back to Evan
and making amends, helping a man with a stalled car in the street,
taking back his old job as a reporter. He quits forcing the dog
to use the toilet and eventually trains the dog to relieve himself
outside. God wants to train us for the spiritual battle so we can
remain strong through the tough times, not merely forcing us to
act a certain way like a puppet. Life isn't always fair and at times
we'll feel up against the wall, but if we have learned through our
experiences we are stronger people in the long run. The race is
truly never over because there is always more to learn or something
to be re-learned after temporarily forgetting. We are merely human
and He knows that--thank God He is patient with us. With God each
day can be a wonderful learning experience.
 Grace's
sister comes over to pick up some things from the apartment. She
tells Bruce that most nights before Grace goes to bed she
prays for Bruce. Bruce checks Grace's prayer history and
finds out the kind and unselfish nature of her soul. Most of the
prayers are asking God to help Bruce find meaning and feel God's
presence. Bruce transports himself to Grace's window as a prayer
from her comes onto his computer. She is praying to God to help
her forget Bruce because she still loves him, but feels she can't
allow herself to be with him. It is a very touching moment. This
moment drives Bruce to finally give in to God as he says, "I surrender
to your will!" God begins to tell Bruce of his God-given gifts that
he takes for granted. We all have gifts given to us by God and it
is our duty to use them--God can help us recognize those gifts and
grow in our confidence in them. God asks Bruce to pray and after
he gives a dull, impersonal prayer he's asked to include what he
really wants in his prayer. We are to tell God all our feelings,
cares, and desires--God is there and cares about each and every
one of us. Given his new outlook Bruce prays for Grace "to be happy--no
matter what that means." He hopes she ends up with "someone who'll
see her as [he] does right now . . . Through God's eyes." It is
THE most powerful moment in the film. (Love is patient, love is
kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is
not rude, it is not SELF SEEKING, it is not easily angered, it keeps
no record of wrongs. -- 1 Corinthians 13: 4-5 -- my emphasis added)
We are called to see people through God's eyes--the good that lies
within, the potential in them, the love that can abound in them
no matter what they've been through. Too often Christians make people
feel even worse about their personal situation--is that what God
wants? Is it a productive way to get people to come to realize and
admit the need for God in their lives?
At the end of the film, the homeless man seen holding
signs throughout the movie (LIFE IS JUST, R EWE BLIND, LOOK TO YOURSELF,
THY KINGDUMB COME, ALL FOR WON, GOD BE GOOD HONEY, ARMAGEDDON OUTA
HERE) transforms into God. This may represent the slice of God that
is in each of us or the fact God is working through all means possible
to get his message to people. I believe God encompasses all. He
can speak to anyone at any moment at any time if we're open to it.
There are times where I have trouble finding a connection during
prayer or have trouble with a passage of the Bible. Often I'll go
for a jog and look at the clouds, the sunset, the moon or just soak
in the warmth of the moment and I feel like I'm in Heaven. It may
come when I'm reading a so-called secular book or fully experiencing
a moment during a film. It may happen during a moving sermon when
I'm in church. The moment of grace may happen when I share a pleasant
conversation with a complete stranger at a diner. My point is that
God encompasses all of life, not just Sundays at a certain time
or the literal meanings of each word in the Bible. God even transcends
the Bible through the Holy Spirit in every aspect of our lives.
When in darkness it is difficult to see God anywhere. When saved
by the light, it's impossible to not see God in all things. The
Bible is a wonderful guide and tells the story of our LORD Jesus
Christ, but we need to be open at all times to experience the wonder
that is God. In a moment of struggle there may just be a glimpse
of grace in the most unexpected way. (Even in darkness light dawns
for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous
man. -- Psalm 112: 4)
Leaving the theater I was filled to the brim with God's
peace. It was a beautiful, sunny Friday afternoon--78 degrees
with little wind (rare for Nebraska). I was looking forward to the
2 hour drive from Omaha home to Norfolk for the Memorial weekend.
The windows were down the entire way as I sang to some of my favorite
music and took in the beauty of the lush, green, springtime countryside--yellow
and purple flowers lining the highway. I couldn't help but think
how complicated we make God's message of love--arguing over the
small intricacies and breaking into various sects each claiming
they are right and the other is wrong. The David Gray
song "Shine" came on the stereo and just struck
me as so perfect for the moment. It basically deals with the effects
of a relationship breaking up, but I can't help but think of God
when I hear the song and consider the lyrics
---------
"Shine" by David Gray
I can see it in your eyes
what I know in my heart is true
that our love, it has faded
like the summer run through
And we'll walk down the shoreline
one last time together
feel the wind blow our wanderin' hearts
like a feather
but who knows what's waiting
in the wings of time
dry your eyes
we gotta go where we can shine
Don't be hiding in sorrow
or clinging to the past
with your beauty so precious
and the season so fast
no matter how cold the horizon appears
or how far the first night
when I held you near
We're gonna rise from these ashes
like a bird of flame
step out of the shadow
we're gonna go where we can shine
For all that we struggle
for all we pretend
it don't come down to nothing
except love in the end
and ours is a road
that is strewn with goodbyes
but as it unfolds
as it all unwinds
remember your soul is the one thing
you can't compromise
take my hand
we're gonna go where we can shine
we're gonna go where we can shine
we're gonna go where we can shine
(and look, and look) Through the windows of midnight moonfoam and
silver
|
BRUCE ALMIGHTY 
