Clever flick won't live in the memory

The Man Who Sued God stars Billy Connolly as Steve Myers, a former lawyer who has turned his back on the rat race to pursue a leisurely life as a fisherman.

Until his boat is destroyed by lightning, that is.

His insurance company refuses to cough up because they say it was an act of God. Steve is left $150,000 in the hole, or at least his ex-wife Jules and her new husband Les (Blair Venn) are, having gone guarantor for the loan on the boat.

Steve reckons there is only one man to blame — God — and sets about bringing the big guy to court.

Steve’s task is simple. He has to convince the court that either God doesn’t exist, or if He does exist, He and his church representatives must pay for the sunken boat.

While the basic idea behind The Man Who Sued God is clever, the film never quite lives up to expectations.

Far too much time and effort is put in to unimportant side issues like the predictable romance between Steve and journalist Anna (Judy Davis).

In a David versus Goliath battle like this it isn’t hard to work out what side we should be rooting for, and director Mark Joffe should have given his audience a little more credit.

The Man Who Sued God is a bit of light-hearted fun, but is likely to be forgotten very quickly.

Comedy, 15. **