Before heading off with the family to see Evan Almighty,  I saw that the critics panned it (D+),  and the Audience thought it good (B).  I think the critics are too full of themselves.  I went , and it was fun.  The critics were complaining about how “unrealistic” it was that Evan didn’t just pull somebody aside and show them how his beard kept growing back immediately if he tried to shave it off.  Get real. It’s a COMEDY.  I thought it funny how the pairs of animals kept following him around. 

The only “problem” I had with it was at the end  (warning, spoiler ahead)

The ark carried the people with the water that burst through a dam that was “below spec” because of a corrupt politician (played by John Goodman) cutting corners to do some land deal.  The ark came to rest at the capitol building,  and exposed the Goodman character to what he had done.  I thought,  quite a “smaller deal” than a problem with the whole world or even the whole power structure (even God smiles knowingly when Evan looks at him and says “you knew all along” about the dam.  And the lesson God gives at the end is that “Acts of Random Kindness”  (which spells ARK) is what is needed, a nd what is expected.  It seems to feed into the idea that it’s  our individual “just a little bit”; small contributions  that “change the world”.  I’m not knocking “random acts” and “our little part”,  but it seems to provide cover for our inability to really pose a challenge to the status quo.  We are encouraged to be content with our “small acts” which is the only thing we need to be concerned about,  as it is just each one of us doing our “small part”.  Somehow,  the story of the flood seems to be about a bit more than that.  But then,  that would be much too heavy for Bruce OR Evan Almighty.

Lighten up, critics!