We open the film meeting Carl (Jim Carrey) shy, reserved man who enjoys his time alone often avoiding his friends. Three years ago Carl broke up with Stephanie (Molly Sims) and has not been able to get his life back on track. Carl’s best friend Peter (Bradley Cooper), although patient at first, becomes very frustrated with him when he forgets to attend his bachelor party.
Carl runs into an old acquaintance Nick (John Michael Higgins), who introduces Carl to the life change philosophy of the Yes seminar. Carl, who is averse to trying everything, seems very skeptical of Nick and the idea. Carl realizing he has nothing to lose decides to attend the seminar and receives quite a welcoming.
As Carl is getting into his car after the seminar a bum asks him for a ride to which Carl must answer yes. Not knowing exactly how far to take the yes philosophy Carl ends up letting the bum use his cell phone and gives him money as well. This of course leaves Carl with a problem when he runs out of gas after dropping off the bum in a public park. Carl goes to use his phone and realizes his battery is dead so he has to walk to a nearby gas station. When he meets Allison (Zooey Deschanel) at the gas station he begins to think his luck is changing. Allison is quite amused by Carl and agrees to give him a ride back to his car on her scooter.
Realizing that his yeses led him to Allison Carl begins to think there is something promising about his new philosophy. With this confirmation Carl beings to say yes to everything. Of course not being able to say no has its ups and downs. Carl ends up getting in a bar fight, ends up sleeping with his elderly neighbor and stays up the entire night with his friends with a solid diet of Red Bull.
The wonderfully spontaneous lifestyle comes to an end when Carl and Allison split up after she finds out he is only saying yes to things out of obligation. After Allison leaves Carl he begins to understand that it isn’t that you have to say yes to everything but that you should say yes to the things that you really want. With this new discovery Carl runs back to Allison and asks for another chance which she can’t deny him.
Yes Man is the perfect movie for those looking to share a few laughs with their significant other. The storyline is a good one and there are plenty of moments that will make your laugh. Zooey and Carrey really played off each other well and made a better on screen couple than I thought was possible.
