Review: Yes Man (2008)

[Steve Rhodes]

YES MAN
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2008 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****):  ** 1/2

Although the trailers and the plot description may lead you to guess that 
YES MAN is actually LIAR LIAR 2, it isn't.  It's based on a completely 
different conceit, which is set up differently as well.  In LIAR LIAR, no 
matter how hard he tried, Jim Carrey's character was incapable of telling a 
lie.  In contrast, Carrey's Carl Allen in YES MAN can say no.  It's just 
that he has made a covenant with his new guru to say nothing but yes to 
life's many possibilities, no matter how undesirable they may seem.

When the movie opens, however, Carl is the original "no" man.  He turns down 
all offers to hang out with his few friends, and, at work in his dead end 
job as a "junior loan officer," he spends his life stamping "Declined" on 
loan applications.  Of course, refusing offers sometimes makes sense, as we 
see him rejecting one internet spam scam after another.

Carl's life is changed forever for the better one day, when an obnoxious 
friend of his insists that he go to a motivational seminar led by Terrence 
Bundley (Terence Stamp).  Terrence preaches the gospel of "Yes! is the new 
no."  When the cynical Carl laughs off the whole idea and refuses to take 
his "Yes!" medicine, Terrence literally runs off the stage to confront Carl. 
Violating Carl's personal space, Terrence gets him to reluctantly agree to 
his "Yes!" prescription.  Terrence warns him sternly that bad things will 
happen if he doesn't stick to the program.

Stamp is wonderfully over-the-top as a scam artist and cult leader.  In 
contrast, Carrey starts off this comedy appearing so tired that, when he 
starts hamming it up, as he usually does, the reaction is to find him equal 
measures funny and sad.  It's not good when you find yourself feeling sorry 
for a comedian.  But Carrey's shtick and his material too often feel like 
retreads in YES MAN.

What saves the movie, other than the occasional good laugh, is the charming 
work done by Carrey's co-star Zooey Deschanel.  Her Allison is a free spirit 
who teaches a jogging photography group -- hello blurry pictures -- in the 
early morning and sings in a bizarro band at night.  The movie would have 
been even better if they had let Deschanel's lovable weirdness out more 
often.  Usually her characters are even more quirky.  But the chemistry 
between the two leads is good and the little romance between them is 
believable.

Director Peyton Reed, who gave us the absolutely gorgeous DOWN WITH LOVE, 
which was bursting with rich colors, demands little from his cinematographer 
(Robert D. Yeoman) this time.  The movie has a dingy look, which reminds us 
too often of how tired the narrative is as well.

I doubt if YES MAN is worth the price of admission, but, if you do see it, 
there are enough laughs to make it enjoyable.

YES MAN runs 1:45.  It is rated PG-13 for "crude sexual humor, language and 
brief nudity" and would be acceptable for kids around 8 and up.

The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, December 19, 2008. 
In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century 
theaters and the Camera Cinemas.

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Email: Steve.Rhodes at InternetReviews.com

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