There is nothing new or ambitious about Yes Man. It is intended to be a textbook Jim Carrey silly comedy, and honestly, that's just fine by me.
Yes Man (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:143
Fresh:62
Rotten:81
Average Rating:5.2/10
Consensus: Jim Carrey's comic convulsions are the only bright spots in this otherwise dim and predictable comedy.
Australian Theatrical Release:
Jan 1, 2009 Wide
US Box Office: $97,632,413
Synopsis: Jim Carrey returns to hilarious form with this romantic comedy in the same vein as the Carrey classic LIAR LIAR. After a few stints in more serious features like ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS... Jim Carrey returns to hilarious form with this romantic comedy in the same vein as the Carrey classic LIAR LIAR. After a few stints in more serious features like ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND and THE NUMBER 23, Carrey seems right at home playing Carl, a divorcé who starts out the film depressed and withdrawn, scared of taking a risk. Pressured by his best friend, Peter (Bradley Cooper), to get his act together or be stuck with a lonely life, Carl attends a New Age self-help seminar intended to change "no men" like Carl into "yes men" willing to meet life's challenges with gusto. Carl is reluctant at first, but finds the seminar to be ultimately life-changing when he's coerced into giving the "say yes" attitude a try. As the first opportunity to say yes presents itself, Carl hesitantly utters the three-letter word, setting the stage for a domino effect of good rewards, and giving Carrey a platform to show off his comic chops. But over time Carl realizes that saying yes to everything indiscriminately can reap results as complicated and messy as his life had become when saying "no" was his norm. The always-quirky Zooey Deschanel adds her signature charm as Carl's love interest, Allison. An unlikely match at first glance, the pair actually develop great chemistry as the story progresses, the actors playing off each other's different styles of humor. Rhys Darby also shines as Carl's loveable but clueless boss, and THAT 70s SHOW's Danny Masterson appears as another one of Carl's friends. While YES MAN marks no major departure from Carrey's previous work, the sweet crowd pleaser manages to showcase two sides of its leading man. [More]
Starring: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Rhys Darby
Starring: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, Rhys Darby, John Michael Higgins, Danny Masterson, Terence Stamp, Sasha Alexander, Rocky Carroll, Anna Khaja, Brent Briscoe, Patrick Labyorteaux, Luis Guzman, Molly Sims, Fionnula Flanagan
Director: Peyton Reed
Director: Peyton Reed
Screenwriter: Nicholas Stoller, Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel
Producer: Richard D. Zanuck, David Heyman
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for Yes Man
I had to give this movie two ratings. One of the scenes is simply briliant. The rest%u2026isn't.
Much of the time we are watching a middle-aged man hoping to recapture the glory of his youth. Yes Man is Carrey's cinematic substitute for a little red sports car.
'Yes Man' serves as a showcase for Jim Carrey's comedy skills. It's designed strictly for laughs -- and there are plenty of them here.
Yes Man is more forgettable than awful, not the hit that it should have been but far from the most unbearable gift Hollywood has handed out in this lackluster holiday season.
Another dog of a comedy, lame even in comparison to what Carrey's done in the past, and its tiresome premise doesn't do much to help the matter.
Is Jim Carrey, in his first full-blown comedy in three years, still funny? ... Yes.
I won't say Yes to Yes Man or no. The best it gets is a definite maybe.
The film is full of goofy, joyful moments, anchored by the sweet chemistry between Carrey and Deschanel as well as a life-affirming message that everyone could use these days.
I can't blame anyone for saying no to Yes Man or at least waiting until it makes its way to your local video store.
[It] won't change your life, and may occasionally make you wince, but for those who want to go to the movies to escape... it does the trick.
It's not Shakespeare, but Yes Man is a very funny movie and provides one of the best escapes in theaters right now.
The first time I saw Yes Man, I thought the concept was getting kind of stale toward the end. As it turns out, that was only the trailer.
If you own the superior Liar Liar, you might as well stay home and watch it again. When Hollywood can't be both-ered to come up with new ideas, we have every right to just say no.
There are flat performances in the film, false situations and bad lines, but the laughs are there and the message about personal transformation is timeless.
Deschanel and Carrey have surprising chemistry. She can match him shtick for shtick, while Carrey draws from his Serious Actor skills to add warmth to the romance part of the story.
Yes Man is fine as far as Carrey comedies go, but it's even better as a love story that just happens to make you laugh.
Yes Man is a nice movie about the benefits and limits of approaching life with an upbeat attitude, but a comedy that was actually hilarious would've had the same effect -- and been a lot more entertaining.
Latest News for Yes Man
May 25, 2009:
Is Yes Man a riot? Yes, and no. Zooey doesn't have much to do except the laugh track thing to Carrey's antics. And on a positive note, Carrey gets to make out with three women and also moon the audience biker style, if that's your thing. ![]()
More...
April 06, 2009:
RT on DVD: Bedtime Stories, Yes Man, Doubt Hit Shelves
This week's new releases include a few Hollywood takes on science fiction (Fox's remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still; the 1984 sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact on... More...
December 22, 2008:
Box Office Wrapup: Audiences say Yes to Jim Carrey
THIS WEEKEND Moviegoers gave a clear yes to Jim Carrey and a definite maybe to Will Smith as the A-list Hollywood stars took the top two spots at the North American box office... More...
December 18, 2008:
Critics Consensus: No To Yes Man; Seven Pounds Is Too Heavy
This week at the movies, we've got self-improvement (Yes Man, starring Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel), mysterious altruism (Seven Pounds, starring Will Smith and Rosario... More...
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