Double Feature Time: Oh, God!/Bruce Almighty

Another Easter has come & gone, so here's a double feature I thought would be ideal for the holiday!

Of course, both these films have 1 thing in common-a great, Oscar-winning legend playing the Almighty (George Burns in the 1977 film & Morgan Freeman in the 2003 film, respectively. In Oh, God!, John Denver plays Jerry Landers, a supermarket executive who unexpectedly finds himself picked by God to spread His Good News to others. Following some initial skepticism, Landers's committment to his new assignment soon leads to concern from his wife (Teri Garr), as well as prominent theologians. But, with his wife's eventual support, Landers ends the film happily embracing his new destiny. In Bruce Almighty, Jim Carrey plays the title character who, angered over being passed for a promotion, tells the Almighty that he doesn't care about anything anymore. This leads to a meeting with the Almighty, who decides to see what Bruce is made of by granting him His powers. Bruce initially has the time of his life with his new abiliies, which includes improving his romantic life with his girlfriend (Jennifer Aniston). But the responsible aspect of being all-powerful soon kicks in and, with God's encouragement, Bruce eventually gets his professional & personal life back in order. Both films take different approaches to someone encountering the Almighty face-to-face, which is one reason both films are charming (Carrey's film, perhaps not surprisingly, has a less subtle delivery of laughs). Both films were successful &, naturally, spawned sequels (none of which were as good of course). But perhaps what I enjoy most about both films is that they have nice messages about believing in yourself.