Caffeinated Clint
By Captain Cumquat
Seen the wacky poster and trailer? You’ll be glad to know it isn’t a ruse – Jim Carrey really has returned to the rubber-faced antics we know and love him for. And as good as he’s been in films like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “The Majestic” his return to abnormality is as welcome as a zit-free face on Prom Night.
Sans the fact the flick’s essentially a cousin to “Liar, Liar”, you’re going to remember why you love it so much when Jim Carrey does that thing he does here.
Here’s the premise: Carl Allen (Carrey) works at a bank as a loan officer. It’s his job to say ‘No’, and he’s very good at his job. In fact, that negative outlook has permeated his entire life. Ever since his wife left him, he avoids everyone, even his closest friends. He retreats into his sad, solitary existence and avoids all situations that would require him to face risk and change. That is until an old friend tells him about the YES seminar led by self-help guru Terrance Bundley (Terrance Stamp), who convinces Carl to make a pact with the universe that he will say ‘Yes’ to everything and every situation that presents itself in Carl’s life. As you can imagine, this works just great… for a while. Renee (the og-so-cute Zooey Deschanel), the slightly wacky musician/photographer, falls for the YES version of Carl, but is that the real Carl?
”I do want to take guitar lessons. I do want to learn how to fly. Yes, I would like to learn Korean” – lines not so funny on their own, but when delivered by the master funnyman they’re a pisser. And so is the film!
The timing, the execution, and the music in this film are all used masterfully by Director Peyton Reed, who has proved after the, er, breakdown of ‘The Break-Up’ that he really does understand how to make audiences laugh.
Right when the real world seems to be falling apart economically and politically, this is an uplifting reminder that happy can be funny too. A really fun movie with some absolutely hilarious moments, ‘Yes Man’ is more than just another empty pleasure. If you’re looking for a way to add some merry to your holiday, say ‘Yes!’ to ‘Yes Man’
