comment #1

Nick Rogers says ...

I love Steve Carell, but wonder about his taste in projects. A movie with Dane Cook? A concept comedy about a guy with huge testosterone levels? A "suburbanite being jailed for a crime he committed as an adolescent"?

The only good thing I can see coming from "Evan Almighty," for which Carell's overestimated popularity likely would be the scapegoat when it loses money, is that he will stay on "The Office," which is regaining its steam now after a so-so start to the third season.

comment #2

Mgmax, le Corbeau says ...

I think the more money that gets poured into a comedy, the smaller the actual jokes will be.

This is a $250 million movie about a guy whose beard grows back really fast, and freaks out when there's someone in his back seat.

comment #3

Dan Revill says ...

Geez, you are humourless Jeff.

While it may not be groundbreaking like your Some Like It Hot, it's probably going to be light and breezy like Bruce Almighty. No great work of art that one, but it had its moments. Lighten up eh?

comment #4

atticusrex says ...

Bruce Almighty did work. Carrey is a physical actor much like Steve Martin. Carell isn't. Steve can be funny... as in Bruce but based on the trailer this looks awful. There is even a few scenes with God (Morgan Freeman) that look awful as if Mr. Freeman didn't want to be there. Now of course the movie could be better than the trailer... but usually if a trailer for a comedy is a groaner you can be sure the movie is a loser. But when a trailer gives you promise and then delievers on it's promise you get a movie like Casino Royale which is every bit as good and even better than the trailer makes you believe.

comment #5

Hallick says ...

Oh geez...I hereby confess to wanting to see "Evan Almighty", but just to watch Carell (at matinee rates). Everything else looks tooth grinding.

And if it really blows I can always wander over to the theater next door.

comment #6

Craig Kennedy says ...

Aladdin Sane: You might be right but when does $250 Million ever add up to 'light and breezy'? The studio isn't paying that kind of coin for light and breezy. Whole committees of suits will have massaged all the light and funny right out of this movie before it ever hits the screens.

It could still turn out funny but I think it will be in spite of the cost, not because of it. Money isn't funny, it just rhymes with it. Borat should be proof of that.

comment #7

The Winchester says ...

The only good part of Bruce Almighty WAS Carell. The scene where Carell's possessed by Carey is priceless, and Carell stole the movie out from under Carey with that one.

And yet, I'm only looking forward to renting Evan Almighty. At some point. Someday.

comment #8

D.Z. says ...

It's ironic that it would have been cheaper for the studio to use cg animals, rather than real ones.

comment #9

hiviper says ...

Holy shit does this look like an inane piece of garbage. Carell cashing out.

comment #10

jbelkin says ...

Looks pretty funny to me - the budget is relevant later - as a teaser trailer, it's not all that relevant - it should only be judged on whether you want to see it or not - but does the cost of themovie affect your feelings towards the trailer? Should it? Is it always wrong to spend x amount? As an obscentity to the world when we could theoretically feed all the kids in Central America for $1.79 a day like the ads say? Or if America and the world belly laughs to the tune of $700 million not including DVD, will it be okay then?

comment #11

hiviper says ...

Exactly what in that trailer is funny to you? The animals in the office... the shaving gag.. the "Arcs for Dummies".. talking gibberish as newscaster? Listen, I could give shit if this thing cost 500 million to make. Based on that trailer (which I realize may not necessarily reflect the quality of the movie), it looks like a piece of shit sell-out for Steve Carell, who's capable of so much better.

comment #12

thatrader says ...

Ya know, Tom Shadyac not only knows what he's doing when it comes to mainstream comedies, but he knows real cinema and has enough generosity to share it with those less fortunate.

Every year, he puts up about $20,000 to fly out 50 college students from around the world to attend the Telluride Film Festival Student Symposium and joins them to watch and discuss films like "Paradise Now."

Name the last time you, Jeffrey Wells, did ANYTHING for college age film fans BESIDES your two sons that you relentlessly and shamelessly promote on here as if they're the second coming of you.

comment #13

D.Z. says ...

If he knows what he's doing when it comes to mainstream comedies, Evan wouldn't cost as much as Superman Returns.

comment #14

Nick Rogers says ...

Someone wrangle up the flying pigs that cost $25 million. I agree with D.Z.

comment #15

wildphantom says ...

wasn't the beard growing gag done in the original 'Santa Clause' movie with Tim Allen? It wasn't funny there so it doesn't bode well to have it in the trailer for this.

Didn't like the trailer one bit.
Substitute Evan for Ace Ventura and it might be funny.

comment #16

The Movie Man says ...

I'm with you on this one, Mr. Wells, if this is to be this years Pirates of the Caribbean in terms of negative publicity, I'm fully on board. This looks like total bullshit, and I'm a Carrel fan, of course, Shadyac is one of the worst directors working today, I skipped Bruce and will skip this, Patch Adams was enough Shadyac to last a lifetime.

comment #17

Rich S. says ...

I guess we need to add "Big Budget Comedies" to the "Not safe for Hollywood Elsewhere" categories. Nothing good is ever going to be written about them, so why waste the bandwidth?

The simplest solution is: If you don't like the looks of it, don't go. I doubt that Steve Carell could possibly care less what the fringe press thinks of his career. If you had a breakout performance in a blockbuster and they threw a pile of money at you to do the sequel, would you? Of course.

Plus, Carell tries to keep his "indie cred" (whatever the hell that is) by doing small films like Little Miss Sunshine. How does HE respond? Go back and read the review. Jeff said that his performance was too dark and that his fans wouldn't show up to see him. Well? Wrong, and wrong. And how does HE respond to that? By insinuating that the appearance in Evan Almighty somehow cancels the goodwill of a performance that was too dark and not commercial enough.

Come to HE for the snarky writing and stay for the debate. But cogent film analysis? Get your fix "elsewhere."

comment #18

EDouglas says ...

I think it looks great...Carell stole Bruce Almighty from Jim Carrey (now quite literally) and I like the premise... plus it has Laura Graham, so I'm there!

comment #19

Josh Massey says ...

Thatradar: Ok, apart from using the term "less fortunate" (a particular pet peeve of mine)... flying college kids to Telluride to discuss films is nice, but it is hardly the life-changing charity work you seem to think.

Honestly, the guy that foisted "Patch Adams" on the world should have to give all his money to charity - and real ones, at that.

comment #20

AH says ...

Josh,

"Honestly, the guy that foisted "Patch Adams" on the world should have to give all his money to charity - and real ones, at that."

Honestly?

comment #21

Eric says ...

Shit, man. I'm just sitting her alone in my apartment watching that trailer, and laughing out loud. Some of the gags look lame, but Carell is still his amazing self. The delivery of his line about the flood in that last clip actually reminded me of his work in Little Miss Sunshine.

comment #22

Joel says ...

I was expecting that to look awful, but I was actually pleasantly surprised to see the modern-day Noah story. I still don't understand why this one needs a huge, huge budget, but what do I care? It's not my money.

comment #23

christian says ...

carell is funny. but he's not this amazing new comedic genuis the likes of which we have not seen. he's part of the daily show type of humor which the kids love but relies on so much snarky irony that i can't even watch stewart since his reactions are as predictable as o'reilly. ditto colbert who i don't think is funny at all. but i loved his press club snap at bush.

that said, this is an adam sandler comedy without sandler costing god knows why so much. for cg animals which i betcha are actually more expensive than the real thing.

i'm not going to this since i haven't been able to sit thru the seemingly unfunny first one.

comment #24

Hallick says ...

"Carell is funny. but he's not this amazing new comedic genius the likes of which we have not seen. he's part of the daily show type of humor which the kids love but relies on so much snarky irony that i can't even watch Stewart since his reactions are as predictable as O'Reilly."

I'm sorry Christian, but you're seriously wrong about Carell. He's got major comedic and dramatic chops right now. Between what he's done on "The Office" and in "Little Miss Sunshine", LIKE HELL he's just another smirker coasting on adolescent smart-assing.

Screw it - he's an acting genius. Just probably not a project choosing one.

comment #25

christian says ...

well, i think he's funny but until he chooses that role that clues me into his acting genuis the jury is out. i don't think ANCHORMAN counts. and he was fine in LMS but i didn't buy his proust genuis.

comment #26

christian says ...

of course i can't spell genius so what do i know?

comment #27

christian says ...

by the way, i don't know that steve carell playing maxwell smart will be his shot at acting genius either...

comment #28

Sprewell says ...

I just saw the trailer and I was going to say the same thing Eric said. Carrell's line delivery on that last mumbled line about the flood had me laughing. I agree with Halleck too, he's a genius who can probably save any project, no matter how crappy. I don't watch movies like this so I probably won't see this one, but Carrell might have me considering it and he's the only reason I would.

comment #29

Hallick says ...

"well, i think he's funny but until he chooses that role that clues me into his acting genuis the jury is out. i don't think ANCHORMAN counts. and he was fine in LMS but i didn't buy his proust genuis."

He's actually found that role on the US version of "The Office", but he's in a thankless position since Ricky Gervais and the original version of the series are Gods in the comedic landscape.