Yes Man (film)

Yes Man is a romantic comedy released in 2008, directed by Peyton Reed and penned by Nicholas Stoller, Jarrad Paul, and Andrew Mogel. The movie stars Jim Carrey alongside Zooey Deschanel in a leading role. Loosely inspired by the 2005 memoir of British comedian Danny Wallace, who also appears briefly in a cameo, production commenced in Los Angeles in October 2007. The film debuted in the United States on December 19, 2008, followed by a UK release on December 26. Critics offered mixed opinions, often comparing it to Carrey’s earlier work Liar Liar, yet it achieved commercial success with a global box office total of $223 million.

Plot

Carl Allen, a bank loan officer, has withdrawn from life following his divorce. After a coworker persuades him to attend a motivational seminar focused on embracing every opportunity by saying "yes," Carl encounters the seminar leader Terrence and commits to a "covenant with the universe" to accept all requests.

This new mindset leads Carl into a series of unforeseen events, including meeting Allison, an unconventional musician who becomes romantically involved with him. By adopting spontaneity, Carl revitalizes his existence: he reconnects with friends, secures a promotion through approving small loans at work, acquires new skills such as flying planes and learning Korean, and even helps prevent a suicide using music.

Carl and Allison impulsively travel to Nebraska, strengthening their bond. However, Carl’s persistent "yes" responses attract the attention of the FBI, resulting in his detention. His friend Peter steps in legally and clarifies the situation to Allison, who becomes doubtful of Carl’s true intentions and decides to leave him.

Carl arranges a surprise gathering for his friends and unexpectedly receives a call from his ex-wife Stephanie. After refusing her advances, his fortunes take a downturn. Attempting to end the covenant brings about a car crash. While hospitalized, Terrence explains that the covenant was intended as a mental shift rather than an unbreakable rule.

Relieved of the obligation, Carl reconciles with Allison by confessing that although he is not ready to cohabit, his feelings for her are genuine. He then motivates seminar participants to donate clothing to charity, culminating in an unexpected conclusion to Terrence’s event.

Production

The film Yes Man draws inspiration from humorist Danny Wallace’s memoir detailing six months of agreeing to everything. Wallace also appears briefly in the closing bar scene.

Instead of receiving an upfront payment, Jim Carrey chose to earn 36.2% of the film’s gross profits after production and marketing expenses were covered.

Carrey personally performed his bungee jump stunt during filming, successfully completing it on the first attempt while holding a cell phone prop. He also suffered three broken ribs after incorrectly executing a stunt in a bar scene.

To add realism, Carrey studied basic Korean for ten weeks under the guidance of language coach John Song, who made a brief appearance in the movie. Additionally, Carrey underwent extensive training to convincingly perform guitar sequences despite having abandoned guitar lessons during childhood. Director Peyton Reed humorously remarked on possibly dubbing or cutting those guitar parts. The song "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind was featured prominently and experienced increased digital sales following the film’s release. After production wrapped, Carrey retired his guitar, which was subsequently kept by Deschanel.

Music

The soundtrack for the film showcases original compositions by Munchausen by Proxy, a fictional group named after Münchausen syndrome by proxy. This ensemble features actress Deschanel as the lead vocalist alongside the San Francisco-based all-female trio Von Iva, who collaborated with Deschanel—also known as one half of the duo She & Him—in writing and recording the tracks. Von Iva earned their part after Jonathan Karp, the film’s music supervisor, came across their CD cover at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. For the DVD and Blu-ray editions, Deschanel and Von Iva created a parody MTV-style documentary including mock music videos and extended performances that were not included in the theatrical release.

Additionally, the soundtrack contains nine songs by Eels, featuring a fresh track titled "Man Up."

Prominent songs featured in the movie include "Separate Ways" by Journey, which serves as Carrey’s ringtone and plays during a pivotal hospital escape sequence, as well as "Helicopter" by Bloc Party, heard during the opening jogging montage.

Critical reception

Yes Man garnered a mixed response from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 45% approval rating based on 155 reviews, with an average score of 5.3 out of 10. The critical consensus states, "Jim Carrey’s comedic antics are the only highlights in this otherwise dull and predictable comedy." Metacritic assigned it a score of 46 out of 100 from 30 reviewers, reflecting "mixed or average reviews." CinemaScore audience polling awarded it an average grade of "A."

Several reviewers drew parallels to Carrey’s 1997 film Liar Liar. Rene Rodriguez from The Miami Herald described Yes Man as an enjoyable Jim Carrey comedy that effectively blends humor with a romantic storyline. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times rated it 2 out of 4 stars, commenting that while Carrey makes the most of the concept, it restricts his ability to fully demonstrate his comedic talents.

Box office

The movie opened at number one at the US box office, earning $18.3 million during its first weekend and also secured the top spot in the UK box office upon release. Globally, it has grossed over $220 million, surpassing Jim Carrey’s earlier comedy Fun with Dick and Jane (2005) but falling short of the box office success of Bruce Almighty (2003).

Accolades

2009 BMI Film Music Award

BMI Film Music Award – Lyle Workman (Won)

2009 Taurus World Stunt Awards

Best Overall Stunt by a Woman – Monica Braunger (Nominated)

2009 Artios Awards

Outstanding Achievement in Casting – David Rubin & Richard Hicks (Nominated)

2009 MTV Movie Awards

Best Comedic Performance – Jim Carrey (Won)

2009 Teen Choice Awards

Choice Movie Actor – Comedy – Jim Carrey (Nominated)

Choice Movie Rockstar Moment – Jim Carrey (Nominated)

Choice Movie Hissy Fit – Jim Carrey (Nominated)

Choice Movie: Comedy (Nominated)

2009 Kid's Choice Awards

Favorite Movie Actor – Jim Carrey (Nominated)

External links

• Yes Man Production Information