the creative team behind evan almighty really should have be able to make a good film . star one of america favourite funnymen and helm by ace ventura pet detective director tom shadyac one expect a high laugh count than the picture provide . hell even steve oedekerk who write and direct last year atrocious barnyard and and attain a writing credit here have do good work . the fact of the matter be that evan almighty isn not the bad picture of the summer season but it might well be the most disappointing . the title and creative team behind the picture suggest this be a sequel of sort to 2003 bruce almighty . that picture have jim carrey in the lead and and whilst both steve carell and carrey be both funny guy it the latter who well suit to this sort of material . i have hear that carrey be offer this sequel before anyone else and but the actor decline staing he saw no other place for his character to venture . thus shadyac move over to carell and who ever since an amuse bit part in the 2003 original have be gun for stardom . after sleeper hit the 40 year old virgin and little miss sunshine the man have become big business and and so it him rather than rubber face jim who lead this production into theatre . the story see evan baxter ( steve carell ) have be elect a a congressman and thus he and his troop move house and state so evan can find success with his job . his wife ( lauren graham ) and three kid have doubt but overall show a supportive side towards evan and who himself look at the future with optimistic eye . however thing start to go belly up fairly fast and god ( morgan freeman ) appear to evan state a flood be come and that the politician must build an ark . initially ignore the encounter and evan be quickly grant some rob a beard that refuse to stay shaved and animal be begin to appear two by two . evan then begin to put the boat into construction but the neighbourhood aren not happy and neither be a fellow politician ( john goodman ) . anyone expect the wacky laugh of some of tom shadyac other film will probably be leave completely cold by this movie . ace ventura and liar liar and hell even bruce almighty where largely very funny picture and but all of those while project have one thing in commen and thats jim carrey presence . shadyac hasn not make a worthwhile film without carrey at the helm and he work with robin williams and eddie murphy and now steve carell and but still only carrey seem to meld successfully with shadyac . carell after the disappointing box office and critical mauling would not be desperate to work with the director again and and with carrey now do more serious project shadyac have well find a new comic muse fast . carell himself be fairly dull here and whoever felt that his bit part in the first movie ( despite be quite amuse ) deserve a full length feature should be take out back and shot . i expect after bruce almighty box office draw it be universal studios themselves and but you know when a quality comedian can not do anything with a character then the scren persona be a dud and and thats exactly the case with evan almighty . lauren graham isn not any great shake a evan wife nor do any of the child strike the right note . freeman let it all hang loose a god in another amusing and chilled performance but he appear to sporadically to carry the piece . indeed the most consistent source of laughter be evan secretary ( wanda sykes ) and creep co worker ( jonah hill ) and both make me laugh twice as much a any other character in the project . oedekerk writing have be bad ( barnyard ) but also well ( ace ventura when nature call ) than his work on this production . his script do have genuinely funny moment but it also full of cloy family moment and the humour be never weird or indeed offensive enough . the film take tame and easy swipe at religion when it ought to rip the concept to shred and indeed the opening church sequence in the simpson movie shake religion harder than evan almighty whole 95 minute run . with a bit more daring and heart this could have be a far well picture . i do not doubt that the core family audience will be mildly entertain by this film and but if they will be satisfy be a completely different question . there a line between be watchable and be worthwhile and a line that evan almighty be always on the wrong side off . maybe when youre feeling bore and the film on cable you can afford to watch and but i can think of plenty well way to spend my time and indeed more importantly my money than tune into this mediocre comedy .