A feel good movie that doesn't feel stupid

Rating: Null/10 (8 April 2018)

Meet Carl. He's the most negative person you've ever met. Only you'll never meet him because he hides from society being terminally annoyed by everyone. Unexpectedly, something happens which makes him say yes to everything.
Right in league with other fun & silly what-if plots like "The Invention of Lying" (a world where nobody ever lies) or "Stranger Than Fiction" (a guy who hears a narrator telling him his own life story), "Yes Man" is good clean entertainment that, who knows, might even change your life. Or at least get you out of the house once in a while.
"Yes Man" differs from the other 2 films I mentioned (great flicks by the way) in one important respect: it's not a bizarre alternate reality, nor is there anything really supernatural going on. So it's more down-to-earth and less wacky than you might expect. But that gives the actors more room to give it a personal touch. In other words, what makes this movie work isn't just a crazy story but good solid character development.
Jim Carey, who plays "Carl", is somewhat toned down compared to his manic "Mask" theatrics, but subtlety works to his advantage. (Note: if you want to see Carey in all his insane glory, check out the bonus features where he really lets loose). As he meets quirky characters, it's Carey who plays the straight man, and his deadpan expressions are hilarious. The way he tolerates his overexuberant boss "Norman" (Rhys Darby) is classic. Norman himself is something similar to Austin Powers in a business suit. Zooey Deschanel is, well, she's Zooey Deschanel - awesome and cute as hell, playing the role of a photography/jogging instructor by day and by night she sings in an alt band that has a total of 7 fans.
What's really fun about this movie is seeing how all the quirky characters converge in a well written story that all comes together with every character contributing. There aren't necessarily any bank capers or high speed chases (wait, actually there are sorta)--what I mean is, there aren't a lot of contrived plot twists and seat-gripping thrills; the film relies on its entertaining script and the aforementioned acting expertise. But it delivers a great story with never a dull moment. Should you watch "Yes Man"? My answer is.......... sure dude.