In the tradition of Groundhog Day and Stranger than Fiction, Jim Carrey’s Yes Man finds poor Carl Allen stuck in a mundane existence he’s unwilling to change. Still smarting from his failed marriage, there isn’t an opportunity this sad sack won’t turn down. His fear of commitment, no matter how small, allows him to stay in
his protective cocoon until a friend forces him to attend a self-help seminar
led by the charismatic (insane?!?) motivator, Terrence Bundley (Terence Stamp).
Though reluctant at first, Carl soon beings to follow his simple, life-altering
philosophy, which is to say, “yes” to everything.
Of course, this way of life has as many ups as it does downs. While Carl’s actions lead him to a better job, a penchant for charity work and perhaps new
love with the cute-as-a-button Allison (Zooey Deschanel), he ends up working a
lot of weekends, getting beat up and having sex with a septuagenarian along the
way. It’s all part of the package as he comes to realize that even through missteps,
great opportunities can emerge, as long as you’re willing to accept all that life has to offer, whether it’s good or bad.
This is a timely theme and harkens back to the classic Frank Capra films of the ’30s (You Can’t Take it With You, Mr. Deeds goes to Town, etc.), which offered up cinematic homilies based on the Golden Rule that the
country was desperate to hear during the Great Depression.
Carrey keeps things lighthearted enough that we don’t scoff at the film’s cock-eyed optimism as he delivers a muted performance, at least for him. The
star does mug for the camera at times, but he’s far less manic than usual and is perfectly countered by Deschanel, who matches
his energy. They are a couple for these times, as is this film which reminds us
that only by taking risks in life and love, especially when times are bleakest,
will we be saved. This is a philosophy that I think audiences will be eager to
say, “yes” to.
Sometimes, it’s better to leave well enough alone. Unfortunately, this is a lesson that the
suits in Hollywood never learn and the latest blunder to result from ignoring
this advice is the remake of the Robert Wise classic, The Day the Earth Stood Still. Keanu Reeves stars as the mysterious alien Klaatu who comes to our planet to
issue a dire warning. For his trouble, he’s immediately shot by a frightened military, which upsets his robot protector
Gort, getting a serious upgrade here from the 1951 original. Klaatu’s message is a simple one: start treating the earth with respect or the races he
represents will wipe us out in order to save it. This gets scientist Helen
Benson (Jennifer Connolly) and her stepson Jacob (Jayden Smith) to not only
seriously increase their recycling efforts but help the extraterrestrial escape
from the government to deliver this warning.
The message is a timely one and the script update by David Scarpa has some
intriguing ideas in it, including the purpose of the various alien ships that
land around the world. However, it stumbles where providing realistic character
development is concerned. By film’s end, Klaatu claims to have witnessed us as a species capable of evolving but I
was left wondering what movie he was in because it certainly wasn’t the one I had been watching. The changes in character and emotion for all
involved are sudden and inexplicable, leaving us scratching our heads as to why
Klaatu would spare us.
All efforts to convey that we’re capable of love or change are hollow, not only because of the flawed script
but the efforts of the cast as well. While Reeves’ wooden persona is perfect for Klaatu, Connolly is given very little to do but
look worried throughout while Smith delivers a one-note performance, namely as “the whiney kid.” There’s very little chemistry between anyone, leaving Klaatu’s change of heart a mystery. Director Scott Derrickson delivers a visually
arresting film, providing the sort of visual spectacle a film like this
requires. Unfortunately, heart and logic are missing, making this a movie that
far too often stands still.
This article appears in Dec 11-17, 2008.
