THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
You ever wondered what it would be like if you were to challenge yourself by saying yes to everything? Well, that adventure is explored through Yes Man.
PLOT
Based on the titular memoir by Danny Wallace, the film follows bank loan officer Carl Allen who has lost joy in his life after going through a divorce with his wife Stephanie (Molly Sims). He has become so emotionally distant as not only does he do his best to avoid her but lacks interest that his best friend Peter is getting married. One day, he encounters an old colleague named Nick, who seems to be more joyful after saying 'yes' to every opportunity. Invited to a seminar, he encounters the host, guru Terrence Bundley who makes a covenant with him to make the commitment of saying yes to every opportunity. Once the seminar ended, his challenge is put to the test as he gives a homeless man a ride to wherever he decided and allows him to use up his phone battery. Out of gas, he walks to a gas station but encounters Allison, who gives him a ride to his car via scooter and kisses him before leaving, which he approached as a joke. He moves forward with his commitment as he accepts spam ads, offers hundreds of loans and befriends his boss Norman. The loans he provided ended up leading to an eventual promotion for him part of the bank's Board room. He would see Allison again at a bar, as she is performing with a small band. This would lead to him creating a relationship with her as he even attends a jogging/yoga/photography group after partying with his other friend Rooney (Danny Masterson). He rekindles his friendship with Peter by offering to help his fiance Lucy (Sasha Alexander) with her bridal shower. Hanging out with her at a bridal store, he gives encouragement to the store's employee Soo Mi (Vivian Bang) that she would find love. That same day, he even stops a man from committing suicide. He and Allison would later have a spontaneous vacation to Lincoln, Nebraska. Realizing she's in love with him, she offers Carl to move in with him, which he quickly accepts. Upon returning home, Carl is questioned by the FBI that his recent commitments have been mistaken as an act of terrorism. Thankfully, Peter gets him out of his predicament due to being a lawyer. Allison is distraught of not knowing his commitment because she feels that he is not sincere to her. This would end their relationship as she would not answer his phone calls afterwards. After a successful party for Lucy, Carl gives his first 'no' in a long time after turning down Stephanie, leading him to breakdown. He encounters Terrence Budley at another convention, sneaking into his car and when he sees him, he gets so startled they crash into another car. When seeing each other at the hospital, Terrence admits that there was no actual covenant and he made it up to overcome Carl's negativity. He does explain that the point of saying yes is to open the mind to other possibilities. This encourages him to confront Allison. When finding her, he admits that despite not wanting to move in with her yet, he still wants to be with her. This leads to her reconciling with him as they share a kiss. The film ends with a bug surprise as Carl provides a donation to a clothing charity, the clothes were given to him by Bundley's followers who would attend his next seminar nude.
THOUGHTS
I remember hearing about this movie during its 2008 theatrical run. Since I was a child, I didn't exactly express interest because I was still watching The Dark Knight in a loop. Now that I'm an adult, my open minded self finally got around to this one and I surprisingly enjoyed it more than I thought. It sounds pretty hard for a pitch like this to pay off in the long run and I think director Peyton Reed nailed it on making this movie so funny to see. What I get out of this movie is that you don't have to literally take every opportunity that comes your way, but the least you can do is be open minded about what's offered. Seeing it done in a comedy like this makes the message work so well. Although I say this movie is a pleasant surprise, I gotta admit there were multiple flaws I had a hard time ignoring. First off, why does Peter block his number? He gives no explanation on why he does it and it drives me crazy. I know Peter wants Carl to be more involved and I respect him having his back when it came to the FBI, but I thought he was a douche for having him pay for the bar's tab. John Michael Higgins is hilarious as Nick for bringing such enthusiasm but how the hell did he hear the homeless man talk from a distance? It looked like he was pretty far from Carl's car. Also, how long was Carl's walk to the gas station? Seeing how he didn't break a sweat just blows my mind. I've dealt with a whole lot of spam ads but I've never encountered dating ads for Middle Easterns. Don't mean to single out something foreign, but it just didn't feel realistic to me. It is funny how Carl tapes his face when messing around with Norm but how did no one notice? I mean it's hard not to for something like that. Considering that Carl was giving out a lot of loans, I feel like someone should have spotted the silliness. The Hollywood Bowl is a popular stadium and it was a cute moment for Carl and Allison to hang out there, but that place should have more security. Also, when did they get a gig on removing chicken heads? That sounds like a job application with a long process. And lastly, how is Lee comfortable with Carl taking the Ducati wearing only a nightgown?He should've told him to at least put on pants. If you can ignore all of these flaws as I did, I am positive you'll be laughing a whole lot. Back to the goods, the big reason that people would still be watching this movie is the star that is Jim Carrey. This is another role that Carrey owns due to bringing the usual energy that ensures you're having a ball as much as he is. I think his journey is Carl Allen is so amazing to see because you can't help enjoy how his original attitude of being selfish turns into a form of selflessness. All of the stuff he says yes to just blows my mind for being so unordinary yet hilarious to witness. While I admit that I laugh to most of his decisions, I am having the biggest smile when he's saving Luis Guzman from jumping. Seeing him sing to him is more emotional to see because there are people that attempt suicide as a cry for help and the fact that he saved him in the end, saying yes to the greatest deed, is so heartwarming to see. He does become an overall better person because he finally understands that there is nothing wrong learning things you haven't tried before. Carrey is without a doubt the highlight reel of this film, but that doesn't mean the supporting cast weren't good as well. It always surprises me how Bradley Cooper is in this movie due to how much his career has evolved ever since. Having said that, I believe that the actor does a good job portraying Peter as someone who isn't a perfect friend but one who will have the other's back when it matters. I also thought Zooey Deschanel was good too with the role of the free spirited Allison, which quickly made her likable. She honestly has a great voice as she sings. As this character, she reminds Carl that you have to think it through when it comes to making a commitment. Rhys Darby surprised me a lot in his given time as the nerdy Norman. Seeing him try so hard to be a friend was such a relatable thing that becomes more hilarious in the long run. And lastly, Terrence Stamp is even a force to be reckoned with in a bizarre comedy like this. I think what made him funny here is how he is someone who is able to twist his words in order to sell his message. So seeing how literal people took it at the end reminds people how you can reap what you sow. And his sole reaction to the nude people attending gets me every time. In short, Yes Man is a comedy that has a concept that arguably has a significant payoff. If you love the said genre, I promise you won't regret checking this out.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
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