Jim Carrey returns to what he knows and does very well

Rating: 7/10 (23 January 2009)

I was very excited to see that Jim Carrey was making a turn to what made him famous...slapstick comedy. Obviously Yes Man looked far more intelligent than, say, Dumb and Dumber or the Ace Ventura films but it still looked like finally he was going to give the comedies that made him bucket loads of cash in the nineties. The obvious comparisons to Liar Liar flowed freely but first of all Liar Liar was one of his last really great, drop dead hilarious comedies so comparisons wouldn't be a bad thing. Secondly after seeing the film it has very, very little actually in common with the film. Yes Man is a little less slap stick and more serious but even still the movie is fun and a throw back to the old Carrey films and just a lot of fun. It's not the perfect comedy but there is certainly nothing wrong with it. The concept has a lot of potential, the idea of a man saying yes to everything automatically makes for a lot of funny moments. Obvious critics will call it stereotypical and predictable and compare it to Liar Liar but the movie really does hold it's own merits.
I have always enjoyed Jim Carrey's films, he's always been crazy and fun and is the master of physical comedy and of course his crazy facial antics. On top of all this we know that Carrey has actual range as an actor. The Number 23, The Truman Show and the under appreciated The Majestic prove that he can act which definitely helps with making a good film. He also has terrific on screen presence. He makes Yes Man a fun and really good watch. Zooey Deschanel plays Carrey's love interest. Deschanel is a little strange as an actress. I'm still trying to forget her deplorable performance in The Happening ((shudder)) but even still her and Carrey don't really jive. I mean they are okay but just not the picture perfect movie couple by any means and she doesn't have a lot of personality for comedy. She worked in Elf because the movie was odd and Will Ferrell is a nut. Terence Stamp is also good in a small cameo role as the leader of the "Yes" cult that changes Carrey's character's life.
Yes Man won't throw you back to Carrey's wild antics of yesteryear but it is definitely a worthwhile comedy. Director Peyton Reed is a strong director and has done some good films but nothing really slapstick other than the cult classic Cheerleader comedy (which I secretly enjoy) Bring It On. However I do think this film will help Reed's career for comedies. So all in all Yes Man might not be a billion dollar comedy but for anyone who wants to see a funny little film on a Saturday Night will enjoy Carrey's latest flick. 7.5/10