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Yes Man
Release Date: April 7, 2009
Studio: Warner Home Video
Packaging/Materials: Single-disc Blu-Ray case with cardstock slipcover
Year: 2008
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1h44m
MSRP: $35.99
| MAIN FEATURE | SPECIAL FEATURES | |
| Video | 1080p high definition 2.40:1 | 1080p high definition |
| Audio | Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: English 5.1, French 5.1 (dubbed in Quebec), Spanish 5.1, Portuguese 5.1 | Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo |
| Subtitles | English, French, Spanish and Portuguese (movie and select bonus material) | |
The Feature: 4/5
Recently divorced, Carl Allen (Jim Carrey) channels his growing bitterness and resentment into one word - "no." He says it to everyone, from the guy handing out concert flyers on the corner to his best friend Peter (Bradley Cooper), who's desperately trying to cheer him up. When an acquaintance shows up one day raving about self-help guru Terrence Bundley (Terence Stamp), whose program is all about saying "yes" to everything, it plants a seed in Carl's brain when he finally realizes something needs to change. Though initially resistant, Carl succumbs to Terrence's persuasive powers and begins agreeing to anything that comes his way. Though it makes for some less-than-ideal situations at first, his yeses eventually lead him to the quirky and pretty Allison (Zooey Deschanel), a jogging-photography teacher and lead singer in a band that has more costume changes than songs in its setlist. In other words, a free spirit finally meets her equal, though where her's comes naturally, Carl's comes by way of a program that sometimes makes him do things he doesn't want to. Though the radical remedy has changed his life, "no" will have to eventually make a return. When it does, hopefully it won't involve anything or anyone he actually cares for.
At first sounding like a retread of "Liar Liar", where Carrey's unethical lawyer is compelled to tell the truth after a simple wish from his often-disappointed son, "Yes Man" is more grounded in reality. There's a satisfactory reason for Carl's misanthropy (where "Liar Liar" merely traded on a stereotype of attorneys) and the remedy of saying "yes" to everything, while exaagerated, is really just another way of practicing "carpe diem," something all of us try to do in life at some point. The film's relatable quality no doubt comes from the source material - Danny Wallace's non-fiction book, "Yes Man", which recounts the author's year-long experience of saying "no" to nothing. Though the fictionalized adaptation probably bears little resemblance to the book, whatever major insights Wallace had about life seems to have carried over, in spirit if not in body. What it makes for are some surprisingly inspirational and endearing moments amidst the consistently humorous situations and sight gags. And though the movie's message is certainly nothing new, it's one we can all stand to be reminded of from time to time.
Video Quality: 4/5
The film is accurately framed at 2.40:1 and presented in 1080p with the VC-1 codec. Black levels and contrast are generally very good with only a few instances where things look a little flat or blown out. Colors also show good depth and richness, though flesh tones can be a little inconsistent, even within the same scene. The picture is consistently sharp, however, and fine object detail is very good as evidenced by cloth textures, strands of hair and the tight, checked patterns of brick buildings. Grain structure is also nicely preserved with no obvious signs of noise reduction.
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
The Dolby TrueHD audio track is often very front-heavy, surrounds perking up with soundtrack support and echo effects more for dramatic, rather than atmospheric, effect. While it makes sense on a certain level, it also seems a little uninspired. LFE can be suprisingly robust though - in particular during the self-help seminar - and overall the track shows good dynamic range, with consistently clear and intelligible dialogue.
Special Features: 3.5/5
Though there's nothing in the special features that one would consider "in-depth," tending to focus on Carrey's on-set antics, fans of Deschanel should be quite pleased with the inclusion of Munchausen By Proxy's complete performances.
"Downtime on the Set of 'Yes Man' with Jim Carrey" (3m59s): Carrey's antics and tomfoolery in coping with downtime-induced boredom.
"Jim Carrey: Extreme Yes Man" (11m52s): A look behind the scenes of the various stunts, including the dog attack, body blading, riding the Ducati motorcyle and bungee jumping.
On Set with Danny Wallace (8m32s): Author of "Yes Man" Danny Wallace takes viewers on a tour of the film set, which includes some impromptu interviews with the cast and behind-the-scenes of his brief appearance in the film.
"Future Sounds: Munchausen by Proxy" (5m28s): Faux music channel special on the quirky band.
"Say Yes to Red Bull!" (2m06s): A brief look at Red Bull's affect on Carrey.
Yes Man: Party Central (2m16s): Rhys Darby, in his Ron Weasely costume, gives viewers a tour of his character's apartment.
Munchausen by Proxy Performances (14m33s): The complete performances of the quirky band's songs, including "Uh-Huh", "Yes Man", "Star-Spangled Banner", "Sweet Ballad" and "Keytar".
Additional Scenes (7m31s): Seven deleted scenes, a few of which show Carl's new business after leaving the bank.
Gag Reel (5m35s)
BD-Live: At the time of review, the only features were a streaming trailer and commercial for the Yes Loans! company.
Digital Copy: Download a digital copy for playback on computer or portable video device. Compatible with Mac and Windows.
Recap
The Feature: 4/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
Special Features: 3.5/5
Overall Score (not an average): 3.5/5
A surprisingly endearing and inspirational comedy gets a good technical presentation and a decent set of extras.
