I’d never seen Jim Carrey vehicle Bruce Almighty until this week, when it made it onto the list of ‘films to watch with the family’. Oof.
Was there ever a film as cynically written as this? Not in terms of its plot, which is a rather unambitious and unimaginative modern take on the H G Wells story ‘The Man Who Could Perform Miracles’. And not in terms of the characters, who do demonstrate some kind of arc even though they’re not particularly original. (The central character is a world weary and self-centred local television newsman whose beat is a endless series of trite human interest stories, until supernatural events make him realise how selfish he is. …Is it groundhog day?)
No, the main reason it feels cynical is because the film looks like every story beat was written with one eye on how it would look in the trailer. Bruce Carrey is temporarily given god-like powers, and not only is his every action self serving, he ONLY does things that will look cool in a trailer.
Walking past a fire hydrant? Make it blow up! Why? No reason, it’ll just look cool in the trailer.
Jennifer Aniston? Make her breasts swell up! There’s no character motivation for it, but it’ll make a good gag in the trailer.
Traffic? Part it like the red sea! Is it because there’s an important reason to beat the jams? Nope, none, but it looks cool in the trailer.
And repeat.
It’s understandable that every producer wants elements in the script that will help make a great trailer, sure. But it shouldn’t be the driving force behind every scene, please.