Yes Man

You've heard critics grumbling about how Yes Man resembles another Jim Carrey flick, Liar Liar, and rightfully so — the similarities in narrative are too close for comfort. In that film, Carrey plays a man who becomes a pathological truth-teller, not only becoming a better person for it but also stumbling into all sorts of wild and crazy scenarios. It's funny then, that Carrey's Carl Allen does the exact same thing in Yes Man, substituting the word "yes" for Liar's honesty when he's convinced he will live his life miserably if he continues to be so negative. Actually, that's a lie — Yes Man isn't that funny. Once he's "cured" of his negativity, Carl finds himself refusing to say no, facing one unexpected situation after another: throwing a bridal shower for his friend's fiancée, randomly flying to Nebraska with his girlfriend Allison (Zooey Deschanel), ordering a mail-order bride and er, being pleasured by his elderly (and toothless) neighbour. While Yes Man does have charm in minimum doses, the gags are too typical of Carrey's long-expired rubber-faced buffoonery. As well, director Peyton Reed (Bring It On, The Break-Up) just doesn't give him the sort of depth he thrived on in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and even Bruce Almighty, Carrey's last great role utilizing his signature comedic template. There's no commentary but some featurettes allow the funny man to express himself even more. "Down Time" is a behind-the-scenes look at the absurdity Carrey subjects the cast and crew to while the camera isn't rolling, which reveals that his hyperactive nature can't be subdued, even off camera. "Extreme Yes Man" puts Carrey in a series of potentially hazardous situations, like being inches away from a chained German Shepherd guard dog, riding a Ducati and, detailed in full, bungee jumping off a bridge. "Future Sounds" is a Behind the Music-type look at Deschanel's fictitious on-screen band, the "funky, soulful, sci-fi" Munchausen By Proxy. Plus: Munchausen By Proxy music videos.