They say that no is the first word you ever learn. And there are people out there who think that it’s the first word we should forget. And then, there are some people who stick to it like a three foot thick sheet of battleship armor. The word no can be a shield, a bludgeon, a razor wire fence that keeps the worst of the world at bay. And nowhere will that be so readily apparent as it is in recent release Yes Man.
Featuring Jim Carrey as Carl, a recent divorce who’s not taking it very well, he’s discovered the value of “no” to keep the slings and arrows of the world at bay. Risk? Not a good thing to Carl, who makes his living as a loan officer, and for whom saying no is an entire way of life. But when Carl finds himself at a seminar, convinced into making a “covenant” with himself where his answer to every offer he receives must be “yes”, his world quite literally turns upside down, and we discover that while “no” may protect you from the good in life just as much as the bad, “yes” can let in the exact same thing.
As the kind of person who sees the value in “no” himself, I really got kind of an eye opener on this one. It’s a great question—how many things do we say “no” to that may well be good for us? How often have we refused to go out into the world and do something that leaves a worthwhile memory in its place because we were afraid, or because we were tired or discomfited or otherwise uneager to leave the safety and peace and comfort of our houses, couches, and DVD players? And the same goes to the “yes” crowd—how many times have you walked into serious trouble because you said yes to something you shouldn’t have?
Philosophical issues aside, Yes Man is a funny movie driven both by its surprisingly substantive script and the sheer comic dynamism of Jim Carrey. Let’s be honest, folks—we expect nothing less out of Jim Carrey than a fast-talking firecracker. The one time he tried to break out of that role that I can think of—when he did suspense film The Number 13—it ended poorly for both him AND us. But stick him in that frenzied wild man role—light his fuse and stand back—and you’ve got EXACTLY the kind of spark plug that can drive just about any script’s engine.
There are legions of laughs to be had here, of both the genuine and the uncomfortable sort. I’m not sure how Jim Carrey getting fellated by an elderly woman qualifies a movie for PG-13 ranking, even IF it’s off camera. But at the end of the day, the simple fact remains—Jim Carrey in his proper element and allowed to run amok adds comic juice to just about anything, and this script, which is actually a bit derivative of his earlier work (especially Liar, Liar—come on, he goes from “I CAN’T LIE!” to “I CAN’T SAY NO!”. Tell me that’s not derivative. I mean, what’s next? “I CAN’T USE EVEN VAGUELY POLITICALLY CORRECT LANGUAGE!”?) it’s still funny.
Jim Carrey brings the funny, and the script and supporting cast are right there to help. This is exactly the movie for you, whether your word of choice is yes or no.
