Yes Man

The weather forecast for Friday was ominous: a huge snowstorm was closing in on New England. The local news web site said to expect 8-12 inches in this part of Massachusetts. Everyone began to make preparations for the onslaught. Salt trucks were on the move. To my sister's chagrin, school on Friday was pre-emptively canceled.

The snow wasn't supposed to start falling until late afternoon on Friday, and the night before I had decided to leave open the question of going to see a movie. By noon, it was still all clear, and after another short debate with myself, I decided in the affirmative, zipping over to Lowell to squeeze in a movie before the flakes started falling. Who knows what it would be like on my way back, but for now at least, the roads were unchanged.

I chose Lowell because unlike Leominster, it is one of those beautiful ultramodern multiplexes with a huge concession area with various foodstuffs and treats, as well as (more importantly) a well-lit coffee-shop style seating area in an ample heated lobby. That meant I could sit and read by sunlight until the movie started. Leominster is fine for a quick show, getting in and out, but I wanted to give myself plenty of time today, just in case. Besides I didn't want to get caught in an unheated auditorium like I did with Delgo.

What to see? There were many options. I debated in my head on the way to Lowell and settled on the new Jim Carrey movie, Yes Man, which had just been released that day. I had been joking with my sister that December was an incredible challenge for me, with releases starring Keanu Reeves, Jim Carrey, Tom Cruise, and (piece de resistance) Adam Sandler. "One down, three to go," I told her, after coming home from The Day the Earth Stood Still. Really I should throw in Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn too.

But Carrey can make an interesting flick now and then (like this one) and as I said, I like to give every movie its own fair showing before judging it.

My friend Thor would classify Yes Man as a movie based on "gag." In this case, as you know if you've seen any of the trailers, the gag is that Carrey's character---a lonely man shut off from life---makes a pact to say "yes" to every offer to him for an entire year. And away we go!

A cinematic story based on such a gag must inevitably have the following narrative: at first the gag works to the benefit of the protagonist. Then eventually it will lead him into some serious trouble which causes him to rethink the whole venture. The critical issues will become: how does he resolve these second-stage difficulties created by the gag, and how does he eventually terminate the gag while gaining some overall positive result?

Since this is a romantic comedy, it must follow that the gag will lead him to his true love. She must appear by the end of Act One, in the "beneficial" part of the gag. The challenges he faces in Act Two will be of the nature of threatening his new-found love. The resolution of the story issues mentioned above will also involve the resolution of the difficulties in his new relationship. From this, the screenplay pretty much writes itself.

One can also deduce that Act Three of the movie, which involves resolving the challenge to his new relationship, must deal with the "Swindled Woman Problem."

Briefly put, the Swindled Woman Problem, which crops up at regular intervals in Hollywood romantic comedies, is a plot point generated by any romantic-comedy centered on a gag involving the male lead. It arises in cases where the gag (a bet, a pact, a conspiracy of some sort) causes the male lead to meet his true love and begin pursuing her, initially with some kind of ulterior motive. He will eventually fall in love with her in a genuine sense, but when the gag is inevitably revealed to her, she will conclude (rightfully) that his desire was not in earnest. She will become angry and will exile him from her life. Hence, the Swindled Woman.

To make amends, the male lead must suffer a downfall and punishment (painful alienation from the love of the woman), and must then save the day by somehow convincing her of the genuineness of his desire and love for her.

Such stories can often be judged partly on the cleverness by which they resolve (terminate) the gag, and by which the hero convinces the woman that his desire is not counterfeit.

Yes Man follows this formula pretty much to a tee. It was lively and at times fun. I found myself unable to hate it, and at times enjoying it.

Unfortunately the story peters out at the end. It was anything but clever in how it resolved. Carrey's character simply receives permission to stop saying "yes" to everything, with the insight that he should say "yes" to the things that he really wants to do. As far as the woman, he simply pesters her with increased ardor until her will breaks. All that crazy chaotic plot just to get to that point.

Does it work? Barely. Is it watchable? I suppose, if you're in the mood for this sort of thing and can stomach Jim Carrey in a retread of his previous movies. Is it a superior film? I would give you my answer but I made a pact not to use that dreaded "n word" in this post. Ha ha! Get it?