Homegrown Canadian funnyman Jim Carrey always seems to have a lot more fun in roles where he is put in absolute solutions, with the impossibility of lying in Liar, Liar, and by having to say yes to pretty much everything in this, his latest movie Yes Man.
Let us have a look at his latest movie, and the bonuses that come with the Blu-Ray features.
Note: For a more in-depth plot synopsis, please click here to read the full review.
Brief Synopsis of Yes Man
Carl Allen is a depressed loan banker whose life of late, has been one of repetition, unlucky turn of events, and refusal to engage in the cheerful company of his friends.
With his wife having left him, having been passed over for a promotion at the bank, and unable to sleep, Carl ends up a pretty negative person, much to the dismay of his friends Peter (Bradley Cooper, Alias) and Mooney (Danny Masterson, That 70's Show).
When Carl runs into his old friend Nick (John Michael Higgins, Fred Claus), Nick tells him of this seminar he attended, where he learned about the engaging power of positivity, with slogans such as "Yes is the New No", and so on.
Nick and Carl attend the next seminar, presented by a motivational speaker named Terrence (Terence Stamp, Get Smart), where Carl gets singled out, and is asked to change his life for the better, by committing to saying yes to any new possibility that comes his way, for one year.
This promise to himself triggers a series of hilarious events, where he is forced to accept unusual offers, engage in any invite thrown his way, and open himself up to meeting new people he's never planned to meet. This causes a random encounter with the perky and free spirited Allison (Zooey Deschenel), and the two find they greatly enjoy each other's company.
Yes Man explores whether Carl will not only pull through to his year long commitment, or even survive the ordeal.
Yes Man Analysis and Blu-Ray Features
The movie wasn't one of Carrey's highest grossing film, but it still managed a few good laughs, mainly due to its lead actor's usual hyperactive antics. Very much like his old film Liar, Liar, Yes Man maximizes on what it'd be like to put a man as goofy as Carrey, into such extreme predicaments, which would put any normal guy to the test. The results are hilarious, and still carry a decent message of open-minded acceptance.
Suffice to say, the Blu-Ray disc comes with extras aimed at Carrey on and off-screen, with such throwaway features as "Down Time on the Set of Yes Man with Jim Carrey", which amounts to nothing more than Carrey goofing off for the benefit of cast and crew. While not very informative, it's always fun to see Carrey doing anything and everything goofy, like the resident clown at any party.
The only other feature of note is the gag reel (for the same reason mentioned just a moment ago), which has enough unexpected moments to make anyone snicker once or twice.
Feel free to skip the other features, such as a set visit by Danny Wallace, the original Yes Man whose book the film is based on; though a clever idea to put both Wallace and Carrey on the same stage, Wallace comes off as self-absorbed, still stunned by the fact he is allowed on a movie set, and having let his 15 minutes go to his head.
Also, the brief short on Norman Stokes' Harry Potter party seems like useless filler, as does the brief piece on Jim Carrey doing his own bungee jumping in the film.
For fans of Zooey Deschanel, watch the added feature which spotlights the band seen in the film, Munchausen by Proxy. The featurette covers five of their songs.
The Final Word on Yes Man
This film will satisfy mature Carrey fans (some jokes aren't for the family), as well as anyone who's into silly bloopers and awkward situations. Carrey has recovered some of his old shine in this one, who knows what he'll jump into next...
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