Thou Shalt Laugh Out Loud

I’m a gusher … that’s probably why I’ll never be a professional movie reviewer.
If I like something I gush. If I don’t like something I rant. Since it’s rare that I don’t like something about a movie, I’d be perpetually in gush mode.
So I liked “Evan The Almighty.” Actually I loved this movie.
I saw it yesterday and it was a pleasant end to a long, long day.
I’m not necessarily a fan of actor Steve Carell, who portrays freshman Congressman, Evan. What I mean is I haven’t seen his other movies and I watched one episode of his TV show, “The Office,” and disliked it.
He’s hilarious — laugh out loud hilarious — in “Evan The Almighty.” He’s perfect as the idealistic, workaholic and straight-laced Evan who has plans to change the world from Capitol Hill.
Ah, another world changer. Just what the world needs.
Apparently that’s what God (portrayed by actor Morgan Freeman) thinks because that’s why he calls upon the young Congressman to build an ark.
“You said you wanted to change the world, right?,” He says.
But Evan tells God that he has other plans … he can’t possibly build a huge boat in his suburban neighborhood.
God laughs at this.
“You had plans! That’s funny. YOU had plans!” He says.
And so goes “Evan The Almighty.”
I liked it because it was an entertaining reminder that God is ultimately in control. So what about our plans? I bet God does get a good laugh sometimes about our so-called plans, especially when we try to carry them out.
In the film, as I believe in real life, God prefers that we make His plan our plan and that’s the one that succeeds.
Poor Evan. God tries to make it plain.
He sends delivery trucks full of wood to Evan’s house. He tells animals to show up wherever Evan happens to be.
Evan finally realizes the numbers 6 14 keep popping up. Eventually, after God appears and speaks to him in person, Evan figures out that the numbers must mean something.
He finds a Bible and turns to Genesis 6:14: “Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.”
Don’t want to spoil the movie for people who haven’t seen it yet, so I’ll stop here.
It’s a good movie. I predict the faith community will love it.
There are a lot of lessons in the film — some hidden so that you might have to think a bit — and some come at you like a flock of birds flying through the window.
Hope we all take heed.