Loosely based on Danny Wallace's novel, Yes Man is a Jim Carrey-starring comedy about a man who decides to say "yes" to literally everything after attending a motivational seminar, and who quickly discovers the benefits and drawbacks to this new philosophy.

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There's a bit of a Liar Liar vibe to Yes Man as, once again, we follow Jim Carrey saying stuff he doesn't really want to say, with over-the-top results. Carl (Carrey) initially lives a withdrawn life, post-divorce, where he says no to everything and shuns his friends. He works for a savings and loan company where he gladly denies loans to anyone who asks. After bumping into an old acquaintance, he is promptly dragged to a motivational event where people are encouraged to say "Yes!" to life. A reliably intimidating Terence Stamp plays the cult leader-style speaker who convinces Carl to say "yes" to every single opportunity which presents itself. The first half of the film focuses on this experiment and its mostly positive results.

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Along the way, Carl makes some new friends, reconnects with old ones and meets the quirky Allison (Zooey Deschanel) who he eventually asks out. It's a fun, very silly ride with an upbeat tone plus some charming moments like Allison's eccentric band Munchausen By Proxy and a particularly nerdy Harry Potter costume party. The central premise is never convincing, however, as Carl appears to change his entire way of life at the drop of a hat and his sudden appreciation of people he once disliked feels a tad forced, as do his whimsical chats with Allison. The writing lacks nuance, to say the least, and so the film's attempt at a kind of A Christmas Carol meets Groundhog Day character arc falls a bit flat.

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This isn't a bad film, it's an enjoyable enough light-hearted comedy that means well and it has some funny moments delivered by a likeable cast. That said, a bit more time should have been spent on fleshing out those characters, finding some consistency with the jokes and making the plot feel less contrived.

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Watchable.