Pretty entertaining movie that also has a good message.

Rating: Null/10 (14 May 2009)

Jim Carrey to me is always better when he has a serious part and minimizes his goofy physical comedy. That is the kind of role he has here as Carl Allen, single banker who might be best described as a "no" man. He turns down marginal loan applications and generally avoids doing things he thinks will be a bother. His best friend calls but he makes up excuses why he can't do things, and instead just wants to hide out at his place and watch a movie on DVD.
But this story is about him becoming a "yes" man. He meets old friend John Michael Higgins as Nick who claims to be enjoying life more than ever since he has become a "yes" man, saying "yes" to life and taking chances. So by Nick's invitation Carl attends the seminar conducted by Terence Stamp as Terrence Bundley, and in an atmosphere similar to a charismatic revival, Carl commits to becoming a "yes" man.
His first challenge is a homeless man who asks for a ride to a park (where we soon find he lives in the bushes). When Carl runs out of gas and has to walk down to a service station, he happens to meet pretty and quirky Zooey Deschanel as Allison, who offers him a ride back up the hill on the back of her scooter. In the grand scheme of things Carl would never have met Allison if he had not said "yes" to that homeless man looking for a ride.
As the story continues to unfold Carl gets himself in some awkward situations by saying "yes" all the time, and some friends take advantage of him because of it, knowing he will never say "no" to anything. But the story also makes the point that "yes" always comes with conditions, that you use your common sense to filter things, and sometimes the best options really is to say "no." There is an overriding truth to the whole message, that in life we need to be open to new experiences because we never know what good will come of them.
In spite of their 18 year age difference, Carl and Allison connect and by the end of the movie it seems that they may have a budding love relationship.
Good, entertaining movie. I saw it with Natalie and Miranda (both 20) and they both enjoyed it as much as I did.