Release Date:
December 19, 2008 Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Director: Peyton Reed Screenwriter: Nicholas Stoller, Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel Starring: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Rhys Darby, John
Michael Higgins, Danny Masterson, Terence Stamp Genre: Comedy MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for crude sexual humor, language and brief nudity) Official Website:
YesistheNewNo.com |
MySpace.com/YesManmovie
Plot Summary: Jim Carrey stars as Carl Allen, a guy whose life is going
nowhere—the operative word being "no"—until he signs up for a self-help program
based on one simple covenant: say yes to everything...and anything. Unleashing
the power of "YES" begins to transform Carl's life in amazing and unexpected
ways, getting him promoted at work and opening the door to a new romance. But
his willingness to embrace every opportunity might just become too much of a
good thing
Yes Man is perpetually stuck between serious-comic interplay
never finding its true calling in neither camp. As a result, it’s really
impossible to identify with the central character undergoing
transformation. He’s also a pretty low-key sketchy character whose sole
purpose is to say yes, or no, and doesn’t know how. That’s atypical Jim
Carey comedy, thrown between extremes, like in Liar, Liar,
Dumb and Dumber and Me, Myself and Irene where he appeared
more alive than in merely getting the job done here.
A kind of variation of those movies with dodgy dealings of some
evangelical or new age preachers and an unconvincing Leap of Faith
comic execution, Yes Man never manages to nail it. Instead, it
seems to support its new age basic tenant – of positive energy sparking
“revival” of sorts in a person who keeps on saying yes to everything.
While its negative mention of capitalism and serious moments never jell
with its supposedly comical turns. As a result, it says a lot while
saying nothing.
It relies a lot on its one-joke, with some silly and serendipitous
turns, including a glimpse of vintage Jim Carey, while the direction is
good although the production quality has a shoddy appearance, better for
matinee television, or video, so be warned. The one-idea movie
eventually keeps proceedings bogged down. An enthusiastic nerdy
Australian, called Norman, working for an American financial company,
keeps this buoyed above a general flat-footedness. Even the likes of Jim
Carey seem uninspired even though he swings between being a no-man and a
yes-man with consummate skill but no spark.
Peter's Commentary
:
As a literal new age
premise I don’t go for the positive energy thing per-se, although its
blessing appears attractive, I wouldn’t be acting on it because its
naïve and there’s not much reasonable point. But saying yes or no to
things can help you differentiate between what’s important and what’s
not, which is the point of the movie underneath. Although I’m reluctant
to go along with simple-sounding sayings and the vehicle (read: the
movie) they come in, maybe something is instructive about them when the
movie is all said and done and we arrive at its outcome.
Other Reviews:
This
is a movie that makes a weekend getaway to Lincoln, Nebraska, feel like
a joyride Carrie Rickey: Philadelphia
Inquirer
Given the gloom of this season's holiday releases it is
positively cheering just to see a character turn his frown upside down...more
The
combination of the familiar scenario and his broadly comic
style seems stale Claudia Puig: USA Today Yes Man is more than just familiar. It feels
downright repetitive...more
EN 5 Second Review:
We forgot how much we missed this funny version of Jim
Carrey. A quite enjoyable return to form.
The
combination of the familiar scenario and his broadly comic
style seems stale