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Is it really healthy to say yes to everything? That
seems to be the point "Yes Man" is trying to make. It tells
the story of Carl Allen (Jim Carrey), a closed-off banker
from Los Angeles who's challenged to accept whatever opportunities
come his way, no matter what. The idea of expanding your
horizons is a good one, although when you find yourself
saying yes to things like Internet ads for penis enlargements
or Persian mail-order brides, chances are you're taking
the challenge a little too seriously. ***
It's not about saying yes to everything--it's about
saying yes when you know it feels right. What I find amazing
is that this movie is based on a biography by British writer
and humorist Danny Wallace, who spent six months accepting
every offer in an attempt to make his life more interesting.
Did he realize what kind of movie the Americans wanted to
make? I guess it doesn't matter, not when you've practiced
saying yes to everything. ***
Is this to say that Jim Carrey should have said no
to "Yes Man"? Let me answer that with a resounding maybe.
It's by no means a great film, but it's not a terrible film,
either; it's an occasionally amusing comedy that gives Carrey
license to indulge in the goofy mannerisms he's become so
famous for. In the course of the story, he gets drunk out
of his mind, engages in a barroom brawl, and drinks enough
Red Bull to keep him wired for an entire night. ***
He even wraps tape around his head, distorting his
face grotesquely. While not very inspired, you do have to
admire an actor that can bring so much youthful energy into
a role. I admire him, at least. ***
The plot: The always negative, recently divorced Carl
runs into Nick (John Michael Higgins), an old friend who
claims that a self-help guru inspired him to live his life
to the fullest. He takes Carl to a Yes seminar hosted by
the guru, named Terrence Bundley (Terence Stamp). Once the
seminar begins, Bundley pressures Carl into accepting the
Just Say Yes challenge. ***
Now things start to get interesting. First, he gives
a homeless man a lift, and when he asks for all of Carl's
money, Carl willingly hands it over. Later on, he finally
visits his elderly neighbor, Tillie (Fionnula Flanagan),
who can do some pretty wild things with her mouth once she
removes her dentures. ***
He takes guitar lessons. He learns to speak Korean.
At work, Carl begins accepting every loan request. He also
says yes to his boss, Norman (Rhys Darby), who really seems
to like themed costume parties. ***
One of the more pleasant outcomes of this new life
philosophy is Allison (Zooey Deschanel), who Carl met at
a gas station. Allison dabbles in a number of things. She
paints. She rides a scooter. She does charity work. She's
part of an unknown rock group called Munchausen By Proxy
(some may call them edgy, but the reality is that they're
untalented). ***
She heads a small group that somehow combines a love
of photography with a love of jogging; every morning at
6:00, she and her group run around Griffith Park with cameras
in their hands. I know, it doesn't make much sense, but
she seems to be getting something out of it. She's also
falling in love with Carl. What she doesn't yet realize
is the reason why he's saying yes to everything. ***
The only person who has any grasp of the situation
is Carl's newly engaged best friend, Peter (Bradley Cooper).
While he never appreciated Carl's refusal to do anything
social, he doesn't agree with the yes-only philosophy he's
now living by. He makes his point twice, first by announcing
in a bar that Carl would be picking up the tab, second by
asking him to plan his fiancée's wedding shower. ***
It isn't long before other friends start taking advantage
of Carl; at that point, he finally begins to realize how
blindly he's been going about this whole yes thing. It comes
to a head on a spur-of-the-moment trip to Lincoln, Nebraska,
when he's arrested on suspicion of being a terrorist. ***
So again, I ask: Is this something Jim Carrey should
have said no to? I admit, the concept is kind of funny,
and there were a few select moments that made me chuckle.
But I never got as far as laughing out loud, probably because
the film is geared more towards a younger, more easily amused
crowd. The one I was with back in December certainly had
a ball, especially later in the film, when Carl ended up
on a motorcycle dressed in nothing but a hospital gown.
The bike's powerful torque was apparently not as funny as
the revealing nature of the gown. ***
And after reaching his destination, making tire marks
on the pavement, and walking slow motion out of the smoke,
the audience actually applauded. Yes, there's nothing more
exciting than a scantily clad comedian walking away from
a motorcycle. ***
Did Danny Wallace do any of this? How should I know?
I haven't read his book. But given his stature as an author,
do you think he could see "Yes Man" and think it's funny?
I once again find myself turning to maybe as an answer.
Incidentally, that word plays a very important role near
the end of the film, which is very fitting in my opinion;
it tells me that even the filmmakers were unsure about what
they were dealing with. ***
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