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Film: Evan Almighty

The sequel to Bruce Almighty, spoofing the biblical story of The Flood and Noah's ark. Evan Baxter (Bruce's rival from the first film) becomes a congressman and moves to Washington D.C. where God forces him to become the next Noah, presumably to save people (and animals) from the next Flood. This causes people, even his family, to think he's going crazy.

The biggest budget comedy movie made at its time, although its critical response* and box office performance might indicate money doesn't buy fun.

This film provides examples of:

Ark Number: 614. See As The Good Book Says.
Ark Words: "One act of random kindness at a time."
As The Good Book Says: Evan keeps getting prompted with the number 614. Genesis 6:14 is "Make thee an ark of gopherwood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch".
Artistic License - Religion: Besides the very subtle abuse of "works in mysterious ways", at the end of the Great Flood God had promised to never flood the entire world ever again. Even if it was localised and not globally, most of the movie made it sound like it would be, and natural dam accidents usually don't make temporary inland seas.
Attack! Attack... Retreat! Retreat!: Rita, when her co-workers decide that getting on the ark is a good idea...
Rita: I'm cold. I'm wet. I'm going home. (cue dam breaking and ensuing flash flood) Ladies first! Move!
Be Careful What You Wish For: Joan prays that career-obsessed Evan will spend more time with his family.
The Beastmaster:
Rita: I can't get my cat to use the litterbox...
Belated Backstory: Evan Baxter goes from a smug, vapid antagonist to a nice, well-meaning father and husband whose only real flaw is that he is a workaholic. Considering he doesn't even have the same job he had the first film he comes across more as a a brand new character that coincidentally has the same name and actor as the original Evan.
- Steve Carell admitted in an interview around the time of the movie's release, that Evan Almighty should just be looked upon as its own stand alone movie, and not as a sequel to Bruce Almighty, and that all it really is, it's a retelling of Noah's Ark set in the present day.
Big Dam Plot: the source of the flood.
The Cassandra: As in the original.
Cassandra Did It: Half-heartedly attempted by Long to deflect his own guilt, but it doesn't work.
Continuity Nod: Susan Ortega (Catherine Bell), the sexy co-anchor from the first film turns up briefly in the second (besides God and Evan she is the only returning character).
Curse Cut Short: In front of his kids; "Mooooootherfffathersisterbrother!"
Dolled-Up Installment: Was not originally written as a sequel to Bruce Almighty. That would explain why the character Evan Baxter has a different personality, and really isn't the Jerkass he was in the first film, though Evan did go through character development at the end.
Friend to All Living Things: Animals start flocking to him, although he himself hates them (at first).
Gaia's Vengeance: God's plan looks like this at times. He seems to think the valley Evan lives in looked better before it was filled with houses, and then there's the No Endor Holocaust ending (not to mention that despite his protests to the contrary, Noah's Ark is a story about God's wrath).
- Ultimately a subversion, as it turns out The flood was caused by corrupt humans cutting corners on the construction of a dam, not by God or nature.
Green Aesop: In the first ten minutes, we see Evan driving a Hummer, ordering kitchen units in wood from old-growth rainforests, and considering sponsoring a bill to open up national parks for development. Oh, and he hates animals. Wonder where this is going?
In Mysterious Ways
Incredibly Inconvenient Deity: Evan grows a beard all of a sudden, is forced to build an ark, and, well, other VERY annoying stuff.
No Endor Holocaust: Even if we assume that no one got killed during the initial flood, the huge amount of property damage, resulting mould and the fact that sources of clean water would be compromised after such a disaster make the fact that Evan became a marginally better human being not such a great accomplishment as the movie wants us to think. This Cracked article puts it the best.
No Party Given: Evan drives a Hummer and watches MSNBC.
- To non-US tropers that's a stereotypically Republican car and a network whose opinion shows tend to be Democratic-leaning.
Prophecy Twist: Evan is expecting a flood due to rain like in the story. In reality, it's just a flash flood caused by a shoddily built dam breaking.
Punny Name: When God poses as a human, he claims to be "Al Mighty". There's also a waitress named "Eve Adams".
Running Gag: Bird poop. Lots and lots of bird poop.
- Also the Dance.
Sassy Black Woman: Rita
Spin-Off
Stealth Hi/Bye: God.
Stealth Pun: Evan's wife is named Joan. He's building an ~~arc~~ ark. Joan of Arc, anyone?
Sudden Musical Ending: The cast starts singing and dancing to "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" during the credits.