Jim Carrey’s problem isn’t that he lacks in talent or energy, his problem is that those traits he’s so gifted with made him a superstar and now he doesn’t lack for power over his own career. With the demise of the studio system and rise of the talent agent, stars now wield enormous influence over their choices, which means that beyond talent, if they’re to stay on top, stars must also be blessed with judgment. Well, God only grants an individual so much and most everything between Carrey’s 1998 The Truman Show and this year’s Yes Man proves that.
Yes Man is exactly what the trailer promises; a forced, unfunny, shallow shadow of a superstar’s former glory days. While Liar, Liar (1997), was no masterpiece, it was at least a big, respectable, satisfying blockbuster with a number of memorably inspired comedic moments thanks to a burgeoning star still eager to prove himself. Yes Man may have a similar logline — instead of a shallow man forced to speak the truth we now have a shallow many who only says Yes — but none of the inspiration and even less effort.
Carrey plays Carl Allen, a junior loan officer living alone in Los Angeles turned into a reclusive, emotional cripple after a humiliating break up with Lucy (Molly Sims). Today he refuses any and all opportunity which might place him outside the comfort zone he’s created around his apartment, job, and two friends (Bradley Cooper & Danny Masterson). But even his comfort zone is starting to feel the strain of his neurosis and it’s a chance encounter with an old friend newly liberated by the concept of “yes” that finally convinces Carl to try something new.
Hoping to hide in the back and go unnoticed, Carl attends a Power Of Yes seminar, which is really nothing more than one of those new-agey nonsense trends that changes names every couple years but steadfastly remains all about the narcissism. As expected, the Yes Guru, played by Terence Stamp, quickly discovers Carl and hones in on him. Embarrassed by the attention and just wanting to be left alone, Carl reluctantly agrees to a covenant where he will never again turn down any kind of opportunity, no matter how big, small, crazy, or dangerous.
Everything that happens next you’ll find in the trailer.
The story’s biggest problem is the lack of meaning behind the busy barrage of high-concept antics. By any standard, Carl has a pretty good life. So what if he’s not 100% satisfied, who is? The Power Of Yes isn’t about becoming a better, more selfless person able to finally appreciate what you have, it’s all about MORE FOR YOU. Sure, you sympathize with Carl’s carrying a torch for the wrong woman, but what he needs is a dating service, not a manic pursuit of self-fulfillment.
On the surface, the story touches on Carl’s selfishness but only on the surface. Carl could be a better friend, but his so-called friends are so quick to take advantage of Carl’s refusal to say no, you wonder if he wouldn’t better off without them. There’s also Carl’s nerdy, Harry Potter-fixated boss eager to connect with his emotionally distant employee, but even that falls flat. Carl says yes to his bosses pathetic little theme party invitations but the reward is a promotion not a real appreciation for who the man who so wants to be his friend.
Liar, Liar resonated because it was about something. Lying taxes the soul and sometimes the truth hurts. That was ninety-minutes of watching a character forced to do the right thing at the risk of losing everything he thought he wanted. Yes Man is ninety tedious minutes of watching a guy profit again and again from extreme acts of self-actualization. Telling the truth is moral. Saying yes to everything is stupid, and in some cases dishonest. This is why Yes Man quickly achieves an emotional distance and never returns.
Much of the story is chewed up by Carl’s romance with Allison (Zooey Deschanel), who happens to be the biggest cliche in the modern-day romcom; one of those free-spirited, quirky girls who somehow survive and even thrive thanks to their free-spirited quirkiness. Like any cliche, this type of character takes zero effort to create and easily provides the uptight protagonist with the motivation and catalyst for change. But this character was played out in the nineties and by now we all know that in real life the free-spirited, quirky girl is usually a neurotic mess unable to save herself, much less anyone else.
Are there laughs? Precious few. The comedy is purely situational and even the locations are tired. You don’t have to live in Los Angeles to be tired of the Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Bowl. A side trip to Nebraska offers some relief from the usual-usual but the bloom comes off that rose as soon as the cliched Homeland Security agents show up to create an absurdly contrived lose-the-girl crisis point.
If Jim Carrey was hoping a return to his roots would make for a big comeback, he was wrong – just as he’s been about most everything for a decade. On home video, Yes Man will play a little better better but there isn’t a sitcom that’s lasted a half-season that can’t compete in every department.
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