Carrey is introduced as Carl Allen, a sad-sack bank-loan officer who still hasnt recovered emotionally from his divorce three years before. Although his pals try to nudge him out of his shell, Carls answer to virtually every overture that involves anything but staying home and renting DVDs is an evasive no.
A chance encounter with an old acquaintance inspires him to attend a self-help seminar, where a steely-eyed guru
preaches the power of saying yes to every opportunity -- forging a covenant with the shell-shocked Carl to adhere to this simple code.
Its an interesting gimmick, and there were a lot of zany humor you come to expect from a Carrey film. One thing that particularly caught my attention was the gut-busting scene with Carrey having to sing and play Jumper (Third Eye Blind remember?) to save a drop-dead man on the verge of commiting suicide. True, Third Eye Blind did it way better but Jim here, did it a hell lot funnier.
Jim Carrey works the premise for all it's worth, but it doesn't allow him to bust loose and fly. When a lawyer must tell the truth and wants desperately not to (even pou
nding himself over the head with a toilet seat to stop himself), it's funny. When a loan officer must say "yes" and wants to, where is the tension? The premise removes all opportunity for frustration, at which Carrey is a master, and reduces Carl to a programmed creature, who, as long as he follows instructions, lacks free will.Also during the film's muddled final act where the seams start to show. The narrative gets trapped in the usual, but inventively set-up, "break-up" subplot and Carrey is forced to claw his way out of the tired distraction. The comedy briefly comes to a dead halt as montages pass before finally being rejuvenated once again by supporting players, Carrey's ever-elastic rubber face and the sizzling romantic chemistry between Deschanel and Carrey – though the 17-year age difference between the performers is a bit creepy.
On the other hand, Yes Man has a message to it and it does take itself too seriously at times, but it's not a total throw away effort. Watching Carrey get goofy again is entertaining, and the chemistry between he and Deschanel is something special. Yes Man is not a great film, by any stretch, but if you're a Carrey fan, you'll probably enjoy Yes Man. You might even walk away saying yes a little more often.
Personally, I was expecting to be irritated by Carrey's return to such a tried and tested formula. I much prefer him in the likes of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Truman Show, films which highlight his comic gifts without allowing him to lapse into hyperactive loon territory. And yet the actor's performance turned out to be one of the better things about the film. Shame, then, that most of the jokes fell flat, and that you're left feeling cheated by the plot's trite, vacuum-packed banality.
One gag in particular, in which Carrey has to rescue a wannabe suicide who is about to jump, reached Adam Sandler-esque levels of dumbness. Without wishing to spoil too much, I have a major problem with films in which people start randomly singing. (I aint poking you vendettared, heh)
masteroftheuniverse said...
May 4, 2009 at 3:15 PM
I supposed I was ultimately taken aback by Yes Man’s charm and its ability to take me out of my objectivity zone. Sure, I recognize that this movie isn’t a great film, but as it turns out I did catch myself laughing quite a bit. Perhaps it is the fact that director Peyton Reed (The Break-Up) is able to deliver characters that are less annoying and more charming. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that its simplicity of story works in its favor. And perhaps even further, Jim Carrey still hasn’t lost… whatever he had. Perhaps Carrey remembered that he is most successful when he’s making popcorn comedies, movies that require very little depth of engagement on the part of the audience. You are simply required to sit back and giggle at it. And giggle at it you shall, as Yes Man does deliver some laughs at the hands of some well-placed cameos, and yes, even that annoying guy with the elastic facial expressions.
Take2 said...
May 4, 2009 at 3:20 PM