FilmJudge - Yes Man

REVIEW

Yes Man
2008
Certificate: 12 | Runtime: 104 | Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Terence Stamp

Carl Allen (Carrey) is a perpetually negative person. He says no to everything, doesn't do much with his friends, and is stuck in the same dull job at the bank. But a chance meeting with an old colleague leads him to a seminar lead by guru Terrence Bundley (Stamp), who convinces Carl that he has to say yes to every opportunity. When Carl tries out his new approach, the world is suddenly a different place; he begins a relationship with the vivacious Allison (Deschanel), and becomes far more popular with everyone. But saying yes to everything also causes problems, as Carl soon discovers.

Despite being one of the most original and profitable comic actors of the 90s, Jim Carrey's comedies have faltered somewhat since the start of the new decade. It's true that he has branched out into more serious fare - and with largely impressive results - but his returns to comedy have been mixed at best. So perhaps the most pleasing thing about Yes Men is simply that it's actually rather good. There's a nice balancing of its funny and romantic moments; the only major problems surfacing when it tries to alter the easy-going rhythm this combination created.

The comic performance Carrey gives here is different from those in pretty much all his other films. It's far less manic than in Ace Ventura, less character-based than in his outings with the Farrelly brothers, and less forced than in Bruce Almighty. This is Carrey combining his natural charm with his comic skills, rather than just overplaying things for giggles. And the approach works. Not only is Carl funny - both when we laugh with him and at him - he's also rather likeable. The aforementioned Bruce wasn't, and neither was Dick in 2006's Fun with Dick and Jane, so this is certainly an improvement on his recent efforts.

That's not to say that all the humour works. There are a few occasions when the film tries to do gross-out jokes, and they aren't really successful. This sort of humour can work when done properly, but it's just awkward and poorly executed here - see Carl's randy elderly neighbour for a good example. Yes Man also has another ace up its sleeve in Deschanel. Not only is she funny - her deadpan attitude blending nicely with Carrey's more overt stylings - she has that rare gift of being to turn pretty much every character she plays into a total sweetie. Allison in the wrong hands could have been annoying - she's quirky with a 'let's see what happens' attitude about everything. But in Deschanel's hands she's adorable, interesting and a great romantic interest for Carl. Other amusing performances come from Rhys Darby as Carls's Aussie boss Norman, and from Stamp - playing a similar role to the one he had in Bowfinger. The only person who is really wasted is Bradley Cooper, as Carl's best friend Peter.

With all this good stuff on offer, it's a shame that the film goes so wrong when it tries to adopt a crucial element of the traditional romantic comedy formula - the obligatory sad moment; the stage in the film where the relationship experiences difficulties. It's not just annoying to see the breezy pace of the film halted by this familiar plot point; it also attempts it in the most clumsy, forced and inept way possible. It engineers a split between Carl and Allison that's so unnatural you can't quite believe it's happening.

Overall though, Yes Man is a refreshing surprise. It's not Carrey at his absolute best, but it's a lot better than the last few comedies on his resume. It reminds us that he's more engaging as a comic actor when he's likeable or interesting, and not just playing a jerk. This, combined with its enjoyable central romance, makes Yes Man quite a bit more enjoyable than any of its abysmal advertising has suggested.

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