Yes Day
Parents say
Based on 26 reviews
Kids say
Based on 63 reviews
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Yes Day
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Yes Day, based on the book by author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrator Tom Lichtenheld, is a fun family comedy with both improbable plot twists and positive messages about communication and empathy. Just be ready for your kids to want their own "yes day" after watching. Parents Allison (Jennifer Garner, reteaming here with her Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day director Miguel Arteta) and Carlos (Edgar Ramirez) suffer everything from indigestion and physical injury to jail time and a water-logged car and house over the course of the rule-free family day. But their kids also end the day feeling that their dose of freedom has maybe gone too far, allowing the film to send home the values of responsibility, natural consequences, and healthy limits. Their teenage daughter in particular (Jane the Virgin's Jenna Ortega) learns a scary lesson when she's left alone and loses her phone at a music festival, where a lot of the older concert-goers around her appear to be drunk or high. The younger kids, meanwhile, are surprised by how carelessly their friends treat their home and belongings. Language includes "sucks," "wuss," "peeing," "poopy-pants," "God," and "skeegy." The family in the film is bilingual, and parents and kids switch comfortably between English and Spanish.
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What's the Story?
Allison Torres (Jennifer Garner) is always saying no to her three kids -- until one day the Torres family agrees to have a YES DAY. This involves parents agreeing to say yes to anything their kids want to do (with a few sensible ground rules). The concept, Allison and her husband, Carlos (Edgar Ramirez), are told, is that their kids will stop complaining about what they don't have and don't get to do on other days if they're given the occasional no-holds-barred day of fun and freedom. What Allison and Carlos aren't ready for is the wild day that their kids -- teen Katie (Jenna Ortega), tween Nando (Julian Lerner), and little sister Ellie (Everly Carganilla) -- have in store for them. Their yes day sends the Torres family across Los Angeles and into some unanticipated situations. But the family will find themselves more united -- and more understanding of one another's positions -- before the day is over.
Is It Any Good?
Parents can go along for the ride on this movie, which is sure to entertain younger kids and offer positive lessons for tweens and teens. Like Allison and Carlos, a lot of parents can probably relate to the feeling that they've lost their groove since they had kids, or that their kids have no idea who they were before they became parents. The film abbreviates that message for young viewers: Allison and Carlos didn't just have fun pre-parenthood, they jumped out of airplanes and scaled cliffs. The chaos of their "yes day" is similarly sketched in shorthand: The Torres family doesn't just say yes, they go nuts. Garner takes the cake in a couple of very physical scenes involving a high-stakes capture-the-flag challenge and a knock-down brawl at an amusement park. Ramirez balances her out as the family's accident-prone "good cop." Having him (and Garner) speak Spanish with the kids regularly adds a great touch that many viewers will appreciate.
Kids may find the Torres family's antics hilarious: Carlos' indigestion post-ice cream binge, a house filled with sudsy water and makeshift water slides, roller coasters, water balloon fights, and parent-free adventures. But at the end of the yes day, the kids also figure out that they really do want some boundaries ... and still ultimately need their parents. It's a message parents can get behind, and just in time for older viewers: No sane parent is going to let their new-ish family vehicle fill with soap and water at a car wash just for their kids' entertainment. The film seems to be suggesting that a healthier motto for parents and kids alike is "all things in moderation." Although the film doesn't take its own advice -- going overboard and eschewing any semblance of reality more often than not -- it does have worthy themes and entertainment value for families.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the concept of a "yes day." Has your family ever had one? How did it go? Was it worth it? If you haven't, does the movie make you want to have one? How could you make sure it was safe and fun for everyone?
If you've read the book, how does it compare with the movie?
Katie goes to the music festival with her friend against her parents' wishes and behind their backs. Why did she make that decision? Was it a good one? Have you ever done something without your parents' consent? How did you feel about it?
How does Yes Day show the value of communication and its role in promoting empathy? Why are those valuable character strengths?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: March 12, 2021
- Cast: Jennifer Garner, Edgar Ramirez, Jenna Ortega
- Director: Miguel Arteta
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Book Characters, Brothers and Sisters
- Character Strengths: Communication, Empathy
- Run time: 129 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: some rude and suggestive material, and brief language
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Sweet book-based comedy has great family messages.
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Flora & Ulysses
Quirky, book-based tale has action, dramatic moments.
-
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Adorable comedy about middle-school anxieties...and farts.
-
Yes Day!
Joyous charmer of a book celebrates a whole day of yeses.
For kids who love to laugh
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