User Score
6.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 103 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 74 out of 103
  2. Negative: 16 out of 103

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  1. Sep 25, 2011
    4
    Jim Carrey needs to perform in better, funnier movies with optimism...
  2. Feb 1, 2011
    10
    A light, funny and enjoyable film that isn't for the whole family, But for a jim carrey fan who is in the mood for a wild, sometimes vulgar comedy.SEE it? yes yes yes!!!
  3. James
    Jan 5, 2009
    5
    It was alright.... From the reviews I've read the biggest problem people have with it is that "it's just another Jim Carrey movie." "Same old same old" And before I saw the movie I found no reason to fault that. I've liked most of his movies I've seen in the past, and I'd watch them again, so how could I go wrong? The problem lies in the fact that although it is another standard Jim Carrey movie... its not a very good one. The humor is rather predictable, and there are plenty of moments in the film where you just go, "That wouldn't happen. That's stupid." And something about it reminded me more of Failure to Launch than Liar Liar. Really not the most impressive comedy on his resume. It's a typical Jim Carrey comedy, without the typical Jim Carey comedy. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  4. DanielB.
    Jul 8, 2009
    8
    Anyone who can get over the sometimes predictible jokes can enjoy this film. Jim carey is perfect in the role as carl and is what was needed to make this film work.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  5. Rosa
    Jan 3, 2009
    10
    Very funny movie. Me and my family all loved it and couldn't stop laughing. If you have a sense of humor go watch it.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  6. JimS
    Feb 9, 2009
    9
    This movie is highly underrated. This treasure is another "Ground Hog Day". The theme is more seriousness than what is given credit for. Wayne W. Dyer, in one of his books, mentions YES as a spiritual principle ( I believe it was in "Power of Intention") This is a kindly funny and entertaining movie with a philosophical theme that more people should follow - including myself.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  7. EssiS
    Apr 5, 2009
    4
    Yes Man starts out as a typical Hollywood comedy; predictable and pretty badly written. But it evolves towards the end and the message of the film is actually pretty good. Jim Carrey was also surprisingly good in this movie. Although I really like him, he has done his share of mediocre comedies most part of his career.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  8. JasonG.
    Dec 20, 2008
    9
    Good funny movie. Had me and my family in stiches.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  9. ParkerN.
    Dec 20, 2008
    10
    Awesome movie, there were long segments of time where I didn't stop laughing. The adult's Liar Liar.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  10. BobbyB
    Jan 13, 2009
    10
    Absolutely incredible! Hilarious, great message, and Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel turn in cute, quirky, realistic performances. Highest marks!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  11. Jack
    Jan 3, 2009
    10
    Awesome movie. Couldn't stop laughing.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  12. JeffL.
    Jan 4, 2009
    7
    Good escapist comedy and entertainment for when you need a good laugh!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  13. DorianS.
    Jan 9, 2009
    10
    The film is so hilarious that my friends and I couldn't stop laughing. I would definitely see it again.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  14. JayH
    Apr 4, 2009
    5
    Likable but rather empty comedy. Very typical of Jim Carrey, but very much lacks originality. It's just a rehash of numerous of his earlier films. Zooey Deschanel is charming though.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  15. AaronG
    May 30, 2009
    8
    The first time I saw this film, I didn't really expect much. After it was over, I was thoroughly pleased. The jokes fresh and funny, the plot actually decent, and the love story a bit inspiring. Perhaps not worth a blu-ray purchase, but definitely worth a rental.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  16. ChadS.
    Dec 21, 2008
    6
    "Yes Man" resembles former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani, both movie and man like to bring up 9/11, regardless of time or place, regardless of the context. The FBI think they might be terrorists: Carl(Jim Carrey) and Allison(Zooey Deschanel) fly to Lincoln, are nabbed in Lincoln, bringing their Jack Kerouac-like adventure to a crashing halt, and in the process, crashing the film. "Yes Man" isn't big enough for terrorism; it's just a modest romantic comedy about living life to the max, and more importantly, caving in to your impulses. The man who invites Carl to the seminar throws a brick into the bank's plate glass window. Instead of making the allusion to terrorists being the ultimate yes men as an obstacle for the couple to overcome, the film should have eschewed the tackiness that comes along with dredging up the fallen towers, and showed how saying "yes" all the time, slowly becomes a hazard to Carl's life, and for those who orbit it. "Yes Man" should have treated Carl's single-minded tendency to say "no", then "yes", as an outgrowth of OCD, or better still, manic-depression. Saying "yes" as a descent into madness, but that's too ambitious for a film like "Yes Man", whose populist sensibility makes allowances for Carl's period of answering in the negative, a result of his lingering feelings for the ex-wife. The scene in which Carl overcaffeinates himself with Red Bull, hints at what a more ambitious "Yes Man" would look like. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  17. RyanD.
    Dec 22, 2008
    10
    This movie was absolutely wonderful. I was laughing all the way through, and I couldn't agree more with the message.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  18. Janet
    Dec 22, 2008
    1
    Another flop from Jim Carrey. Who reviews his scripts.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  19. DavidP
    Dec 30, 2008
    8
    Ignore the miserable idiots who are giving it a zero. Yes Man is good fun for the festive season, with some great character roles that add to the story in the same way as Groundhog Day. Overall my girlfriend and I had a fun evening and laughed out loud throughout - what more do you need from a comedy?
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  20. AngeloM.
    Jan 1, 2009
    6
    Funny and slightly enlightening, but its message is a little late. Had this been released in the uptight 80's or even the 90's I'm sure it would have been a epic splash. Nonetheless, the blatant sexual overtones broke the upbeat and positive tune that it had going for it. I don't care what passes for mainstream humor, the whole sex with the elderly woman just disgusts me, as it should for the idiots who let it pass as PG-13. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  21. Aronj
    Jan 14, 2009
    6
    Its definitely not Jim Carrey's funnist work, not enough physical comedy for him. But i hate how people look past rhys darby, he has such a different sense of humor that I've never seen before, it shines in the show flight of the conchords.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  22. AlexJ.
    Jan 26, 2009
    1
    DIABOLICAL FILM. Jim Carrey ruined it big time, he always does. Probably loves men and all. Winky face.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  23. KevinS
    Apr 10, 2009
    2
    I knew every second of this movie within the first 5 minutes. Like baking bread, this thing never strayed from it's recipe. Seemed more like a self-help message extended into 1.5 excruciating hours.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  24. JoelC.
    Jun 30, 2009
    9
    After seeing the previews I thought the movie would really suck like some of Carreys recent effort. Totally wrong! It's a really good movie with a good message. At this point in my life, I could relate to it quite a bit so, slightly biased but still an excellent movie. Also, this movie gained a point for the killer ending credits art! Watch it, it's worth your time!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  25. SaraP.
    Dec 19, 2008
    9
    This was the best (funnyest) carrey movie ever. It wasnt a deep movie but it got good laughs.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  26. jD
    Dec 21, 2008
    3
    Trite, boring jim C vehicle. High point is zoey D. She grounds the run away train & adds a sweetness to the flick that really is the only consistent positive. Overall a flop of a film. Wait for DVD.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  27. Darwin
    Dec 21, 2008
    0
    It's the end of the line for Jim Carrey. It's almost as if he's stuck in a time warp back in the 90's. He needs a script with new material to salvage his once superstar career. Too many bad movies to suit me.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  28. Lolita
    Dec 21, 2008
    0
    Time for JC to ride off into the sunset. He plays the same character in every film. Enough already as it's no longer funny. Grow up.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  29. KenS.
    Dec 23, 2008
    8
    This is a wonderful movie. I laughed all the way through. If movies with a heart mesage interect you this is great for you. SEND THE KIDS TO THIS ONE!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  30. Dave
    Dec 25, 2008
    10
    One of the funniest movies I ever seen.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  31. KenS
    Dec 26, 2008
    8
    This movie seems to be the hilarious, feel-good movie of the year. The movie is put together very well with no apparent holes in the plot and it has a perfect cast with each star playing his/her role excellently. Anyone who can give this movie a 0 isn't rating this movie and just doesn't like Jim Carrey.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  32. JoeB.
    Dec 27, 2008
    8
    Pretty enjoyable, you know what to expect from carrey, and frankly it is getting a bit old, but he's a class act in my book....
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  33. stevep
    Dec 29, 2008
    7
    Yes Man is a very hard film for me to review because it one of those films where the part of me that fancies myself a intellectual film critic tells me I should hate it, and the part of me that is just some suburbia kid that went to see a movie on Friday night tells me I should love it. The reason I’m suppose to hate it is because Hollywood has been beating the proverbial dead horse with films whose premise is almost identical to this one. Yes Man is a Romantic Comedy about a man who recently went through a divorce and is realizing his life is miserable, in order to change all that he makes an unusual, radical, and unrealistic change in his lifestyle that causes him to acquire a new girlfriend. If you can’t name at least 5 Romantic Comedies that are carbon copies of that idea then you must live under a rock, Hell I can think of 3 that Jim Carey acted in before this one. But there is nothing inherently wrong with these kinds of films, in fact some are very good, and if Yes Man is the last of this form of Romantic Comedies then the sub-genre has ended on a high note. There are several things that make Yes Man better than Liar Liar (which every critic on planet earth seems to be comparing it to). The first thing they do right is casting Zooey Deschanel as the lead female, since every role Zooey Deschanel touches is pure gold. You see, it’s very easy for a director to find an actress with tits big enough that all then men in the audience wants to Do Her, it’s not easy for a director to find an actress who is so sweet and likeable that every man in the theater wants to snuggle with her for 4 hours then watch her sleep in their arms. I even liked her in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy despite the fact it sucked. In fact her role in that film was so good that if they just called it “Zooey Deschanel goes to Space with a British Dude” it probably would have gotten very positive reviews. Now other than the fact the film has an actress that me and a good number of my male friends have a crush on (for good reasons), it deserves credit for doing something original with an unoriginal thing. It kind of like how Punk ceased to be original at the dawn of the 80’s so everyone just started playing Post-Punk, (sorry no more Punk Rock references). Yes Jim Carey makes an unfeasible lifestyle change, but it can’t be to unfeasible because apparently some Scottish Comedian actual did it for like six months and then wrote a book about it which this film is based off of. So unlike Liar Liar I could see 90% of the things happening in this movie actually happening. What’s really great about this film is the message it preaches. Almost all Romanic Comedies I see nowadays preach the message of “Responsibility,” and “Trust,” and “Respect.” Back in the day this made sense since we were living in an age where getting a divorce was considered about as bad as getting a chocolate bar while on a diet, but it seems whoever wrote Yes Man thought this message got pounded into our heads a bit too well. Yes Man encourages couples to be spontaneous and free spirited, which is good because it seems people are so convinced that once you enter a serious relationship that you have to enter a dull routine. The movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall had a similar message, and I really enjoyed that film as well, thought it didn’t have Zooey Deschanel. This movie is most likely the best Romantic Comedy about a guy making an unrealistic lifestyle change I’ve ever seen, there are some genuinely funny times, and some genuinely heartwarming times, plus the Romance between Carey and Deschanel in this film is a creative and oddly believable. And if anything you should probably go see it just cause I think it’s Zooey’s best role so far. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  34. CarolS
    Jan 13, 2009
    1
    I walked out of this movie and I haven't done that in a very long time. I found it tiresome, not that funny (Carey's schtick is getting worn out). Only reason to give it a one was his co-star, Zoey. She's fresh and brought a bit of life to this dog.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  35. ChristinaS
    Jan 15, 2009
    7
    I want to start by saying I don't "go crazy" fo Jim Carrey but I did like this film. I will admit my two favorite films of his are Liar Liar and Yes Man and though they are surprisingly similar they are still great films. I think Carrey can be genius and why can we not celebrate his genius we he repeats his genius? Harrison Ford plays the same guys in two of America's most popular sagas and we love him for it. If you do something well then do it. On another note I was totally annoyed at the sex scene with the elderly neighbor. That scene was absolutely not necessary. It made everyone uncomfortable. I don't think a "Yes Man" audience is going to think that is funny. I also believe that is a subconscious reason why a vast majority of critics didn't give it the "it wasn't deep but it was funny card". Because when you think back on watching the film there was something annoying in the film and it was that scene. It reminds me of "Over her dead body". There were some great lines in that film but it was really hard to get past Eva Longoria watching and commenting during love scenes. I just walked away saying yeah I don't need to see that again. Anyway....Yes Man made me laugh really hard in some scenes but it was totally ruined by one lame scene. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  36. ColinC
    Apr 28, 2009
    7
    Cute. The wife and I enjoyed this more than we thought we would. Worth watching if you liked previous films of his like Liar Liar. Nothing too shockingly original (but then, you can always rewatch Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind), but worth the 90 minutes of you're life it'll take.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  37. HughG
    Jun 13, 2009
    10
    I agree with Rosa - if you have a sense of humor you probably loved this film (as I did). If you go to films looking for reasons to say no to a good laugh, then maybe you should pay attention to the message in this film!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  38. Richie
    Dec 21, 2008
    0
    Don't spend you hard earned money on this sappy crap.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  39. [Anonymous]
    Dec 23, 2008
    9
    Hey, it's not the best movie ever, nor the funniest comedy in recent memory, but it's entertaining from beginning to end. While there are more hearty chuckles than deep belly laughs, there are very few jokes that fall flat. Also very well done is the love story. The chemistry between the two actors is great, and very believable. All in all, this is a fun movie to see with friends or with a date, which I did last night, and found myself quite enjoying. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  40. SteveM.
    Dec 26, 2008
    9
    This movie had me laughing all the way through, it is a must see!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  41. Sep 22, 2011
    5
    I was expecting laughs with tears when I thought of Jim Carrey in a comedy movie, with the last few movies I watched of his being The Mask, Ace Ventura, and Cable Guy. He was great in the number 23 thriller too. This was a let down! I agree with the message of the story though - "yes" does open up a world of possibilities.
  42. Jan 1, 2011
    6
    Not Jim Carrey's best. There was some funny moments but it wasn't a spectacular movie. Maybe worth watching once though.
  43. Feb 21, 2011
    6
    I thought it was a well round innocent fun comedy flick. Yes man has its up and downs and might be corny for most. Certainly not Jim Carreys best but I enjoyed it, had me laughing and also had a moving/calm side to it.
  44. Jun 12, 2011
    6
    Nothing overly exciting. It does bring back a bunch of memories of liar liar but I felt like it fixed some of the issues with that movie, but it also makes a few problems. Saying yes to everything should have led to some more legal problems then this, but the supporting cast in this was better then liar liar. This is a cute movie that makes some good laughs but one that you don't need to see more then once. Expand
  45. Aug 15, 2011
    8
    I think this movie is so great. The story is very interesting. After finished watching, I become vigorous. It is worth the money to see it. The acting is so-so. Ypu should watch this movie if you have never watched.
  46. Dec 23, 2011
    8
    The ending may be rushed, but a funny and somewhat unique idea is well executed in Yes Man. I really liked Jim Carrey's performance and this comedy may be worth watching.
  47. Jan 2, 2012
    2
    Jim Carrey gives a typical performance which ends up not funny because he always acts the same way. And the premise is quite silly and Zooey Deschannel doesn't belong in this awful movie she needs to do better things. I give this movie 21%.
  48. Feb 21, 2012
    4
    It has an interesting plot and there were quite a few funny moments through out the film. Jim Carrey gives a typical jim carrey performance (which isnt bad but it gets stale after a while). The film is too boring though. It seems stuck at the generic comedy level and fails to rise above it. If you are a fan of Carrey then I would recommend it, To anyone else...Im not 100%.
  49. May 10, 2012
    8
    A very funny movie,with a great cast of actors. All of it comes together in the end. Definitely a must watch movie!
Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 30
  2. Negative: 4 out of 30
  1. Carrey's most satisfying live-action effort since "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."
  2. Reviewed by: Brian Lowry
    60
    Genial but slim, picture is certainly a light-hearted alternative to weighty year-end awards bait, but the conceit isn't realized fully enough.
  3. Reviewed by: Robert Wilonsky
    50
    Yes Man is nothing more than warmed-over holiday seconds, a repackaged best-of for those who already own the hits.