If God chose me for a mission, the first person I would tell is my husband. I'd say: "God spoke to me and gave me a task. He told me you are to be my Aaron." (Moses' brother who had to speak for the "slow of speech" prophet.) Or, "God spoke to me and gave me a task. He told me you are supposed to build me a Church." (Peter was so tasked by Jesus.)

See what I mean? Every prophet needs backup.

After the huge success of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Evan Almighty's screenwriter Steve Oedekerk gives star Steve Carell a dual role: Suave TV anchor turned Congressman and 21st century Biblical prophet. God has a sense of humor, or, He really prefers Hebrew garb sans grooming over Ermenegildo Zegna.

Far superior to 2003's Bruce Almighty, "Evan" picks up where "Bruce" left off. God (Morgan Freeman) has a thing for TV reporters. Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) and Evan Baxter (Carell) were rivals in Bruce Almighty. Evan, while still anchoring the news, wins a seat in Congress and leaves his modest home in Buffalo for a huge house in a Virginia suburb with his wife, Joan (Lauren Graham), and three sons: Dylan (Johnny Simmons), Jordan (Graham Phillips) and Ryan (Jimmy Bennett). Even though Evan and Joan have been married 17 years, he never feels confident enough to tell her about being visited by God.

Remember when Ronnie Neary (Teri Garr) refused to believe Roy (Richard Dreyfus) saw a UFO in Close Encounter of the Third Kind? If not your spouse, who do you go to for support?

God doesn't give Evan much time to enjoy the perks of his new office on The Hill or his slavish staff run by Marty (John Michael Higgins). If only Evan's bemused executive assistant Rita (Wanda Sykes), was chosen by God to be Evan's first lieutenant.

First-term Congressman Baxter is quickly massaged by veteran Congressman Long (John Goodman) who wants him to co-sponsor a controversial land bill.

No matter how Evan tries to avoid God and The Mission to Build An Ark, two-by-two animals keep following him around. Wood turns up on his front lawn and several adjoining plots are brought in his name. God co-signed.

While Evan starts reading a copy of "Ark Building for Dummies" (though Genesis does give a few tips), Joan does what every movie wife does – she takes the kids and leaves. Let's say Evan is having a psychotic break – should his wife just go off to her parents? Free of all encumbrances, Evan dons the Biblical robe – a gift from God - and grows a beard. Without any support, the animals start helping. This is quite clever and charming.

I am disappointed that Evan gets no support, but Noah did not have any fans either. Yet, in following the Biblical script and nudging from God, Joan and the boys return to help.

If it wasn't for a well-times dream, Jesus would have been raised by a single mother.

Does the flood come? Does Evan go back to Congress as a hero? Does he write Genesis 2: The Return?

There is no need to go any further, in fact, if you saw the trailer that is currently running before "Knocked Up," you know exactly what follows and the ending.

How director Tom Shadyac got the animals and birds to perform or whether it was CG magic, "Evan Almighty" looks authentic. The screenplay by Oedekerk (story by Oedekerk, Joel Cohen, and Alec Sokolow) handles the religious element with wit without being preachy. I'm not a big fan of family films, but Evan Almighty has a gentle touch with Carell and Sykes a perfect cinematic duo.

God was always tasking folks way back in the day with hair-brain schemes, so why not a video clerk named David next?

(We at zboneman.com are excited to welcome the prolific and multi-talented writer Victoria Alexander to our staff. Critic for http://www.filmsinreview.com/ and pundit and humorist responsible for the candid and fearlessly funny "The Devil's Hammer," her column appears every Monday on http://fromthebalcony.com. Start off your week with a good hard laugh. It's a thrill to have her on board. Victoria Alexander answers every email and can be contacted directly at .)