Yes Man

  • Review Date: December 18, 2008
  • PG-13
  • Genre: Comedy
  • 2008
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Carrey comedy breaks no new ground but draws ample laughs.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this comedy will likely appeal to young Jim Carrey fans excited to see him back on familiar (i.e. non-dramatic) turf. Although it's not as crude as the "gross out" comedies that have been so popular recently, there is some iffy stuff -- including a scene in which an elderly woman offers to perform oral sex on the main character (his facial expressions are shown) and another in which his bare butt is visible. There's also plenty of swearing -- everything from "ass" to "f--k" -- and a lot of product placement.

  • A man learns only to say "yes" when he means it.
  • A man tries to inject joy and excitement into his life by saying "yes"
    to any opportunity that comes his way, even if he doesn't want to.  In
    doing so, he misleads others into thinking that he's saying "yes"
    because he wants to, though he doesn't mean any harm.
  • A man gets beaten up after he unknowingly makes a pass at someone else's girlfriend while drunk. He makes matters worse by hurling more insults during the fight. Another character throws a rock at a window and shatters it, causing guards to come running after him.
  • Kissing (some chaste, some fairly passionate); a man shows off his backside while wearing a hospital gown. An elderly woman propositions a much younger man and pleasures him orally; she takes off her dentures, and then the man's face is shown on camera morphing from overwhelmed to shocked to ecstatic.
  • A fair amount for a PG-13-rated film. Words include "bastard," "s--t," "f--k," and more.
  • Hello, product placement! The treatment is sort of subtle, but many brands are name checked, including Starbucks, Super Shuttle, Big 5, Sports Chalet, Brea Federal, Nokia, Rolling Rock, and more.
  • A fair amount of imbibing -- mostly social drinking, though sometimes the goal is to get drunk.

What's the story?

Sandbagged by a divorce, Carl Allen (Jim Carrey) is a virtual recluse, content to shuttle between his Los Angeles apartment and the bank where he works as a loan officer. If he does venture out, it's to the video store to pick up the DVDs he prefers to watch alone or to the coffee shop, where he won't even take a flier from the guy handing them out front. "No" is his favorite word: He screens his calls, dodges his friends, and has pretty much dropped out of life. But a chance encounter brings him to a seminar run by self-help guru Terrence Bundley (Terrence Stamp) whose rallying cry to his followers is to literally say "yes" to everything. And that Carl does, for better or worse.


Is it any good?

 

Welcome back, Jim Carrey! After an extended hiatus from comedy -- his last live-action movie was the 2007 thriller The Number 23, and before that, 2005's Fun with Dick and Jane -- in YES MAN Carrey has found a vehicle that again makes the most of his elastic face and spastic humor. In many ways, it's reminiscent of Liar Liar -- only here he doesn't have to tell the truth, just say "yes." Carrey has mellowed just a little with age, too, which is perfect for the role. Co-star Zooey Deschanel is the perfect complement; as Alison, the jogging photographer/singer Carl falls in love with, she's offbeat enough to take the saccharine off, but still sweet enough to give Yes Man heart.

Still, some of the movie's gags are pretty done before they even get started. Getting laughs out of showing a hospital gown-clad man's backside? Been there, done that (see Jack Nicholson in Something's Gotta Give). The Internet jokes -- wife-finding Web sites, genital enhancement spam -- are fairly stale, too. But in a year filled with gross-out Apatow-ian films, it's somewhat of a relief to sit back and lose yourself in a traditional comedy that's absurdly cheesy, but in a good way. And the premise (the film was inspired by a memoir by Danny Wallace) is intriguing: If you say "no" to life, then it responds in kind to you, so why not go for it? Yes Man isn't exactly original, but it's fun.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about why kids want to see this movie -- is it because of the story or because Jim Carrey is in it?

  • What makes something a "Jim Carrey" comedy? Would you like his movies
    as much if a different actor starred in them? Do you like his dramatic
    movies? Why or why not?

  • Discuss the movie's message. Why is Carl the way he
    is in the beginning? What does he learn? Is the lesson applicable in
    real life, or just fodder for a Hollywood blockbuster?


This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Kid, 11 years old
September 2, 2011
 
O____O
It was kind of funny but some bad scenes.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 16 years old
February 14, 2011
 
Suggested MPAA Rating: PG-13 for crude sexual humor throughout, some strong language, and nudity

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 14 years old
February 23, 2011
 
Perfect for Older Kids and tweens but not little kids.
Loved it.Best if older people watch it as to kids 9 and under.12+ to watch

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Kid, 12 years old
April 15, 2010
 
O.K
it is varry funny but rude and evil

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Teen, 15 years old
December 26, 2010
 
Very Funny
I saw this at a birthday party and we all laughed so hard. The main character (Jim Carrey), starts out as the guy who doesn't like fun, says no to everything. He changes throughout the movie.

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Kid, 12 years old
February 5, 2011
 
Great movie just not for little kids
Very funny movie! A little inaproppriate but good to watch with friends. A great comedy!

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Parent of 9 year old
March 27, 2010
 
good for 10+
Good movie but there is some small things in the movie that are not appropriate for children under 10-11

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Kid, 13 years old
May 13, 2011
 
Jim Carrey's crazy antics fail sometimes.
The perfect movie for older teens. Warning: Keep out of reach of young children. This movie was not meant for them. There is some violence, but not a lot. Products are shown (a lot). Some language, drinking and sex is also included. An elderly woman performs oral sex to a much younger man than her. Some kissing and backside nudity is also shown. It wasn't an " Oh my gosh this is like the best" kind of movie but it was okay.

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Parent of 15 and 18 year old
June 26, 2009
 
Very funny in parts, shame about a couple of things
Had some very funny moments. Not deep, but very watchable and a feel good film. The old lady bit was out of order and certainly not what you'd want your kids to see... Jim Carey makes it.

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Kid, 12 years old
April 3, 2011
 
Hilarious Carrey Movie
With very noticable product placement and a few swears I'd say this is iffy for 11+.

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This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Studio:Warner Bros.
Director:Peyton Reed
Cast:Bradley Cooper, Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel
Genre:Comedy
Run time:104 minutes
Theatrical release date:December 19, 2008
DVD release date:April 7, 2009
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:crude sexual humor, language and brief nudity

This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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