YES DAY
US, 2021, 85 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Garner, Edgar Ramirez, Jenna Ortega, Julian Lerner, Everly Carganilla, Tracy Thoms, Fortune Feimster, Nat Faxon, Arturo Castro, H.E.R..
Directed by Miguel Arteta
Who is the audience for Yes Day? Not older, possibly cranky, audiences who do not have children or who get irritated by children. (Unless they want to have 90 minutes of irritation.) Is this a film for parents? Well, yes, but with some cautions. They need to let themselves know that this is a blend of fantasy and reality, that they are supposed to enjoy the fantasy, imagining themselves involved in a Yes Day – but steeling themselves for the grim realities of the consequences!
Is it a a film for children? Well, yes, an opportunity to indulge in “what if…?�, Imagining that their parents might offer them a Yes Day and what that could mean.
It all starts quite enthusiastically, at least with Allison and Carlos, meeting, enjoying each other’s company, adventurous escapades, leading enthusiastically to the alter and an abundance of yes, yes, yes. Then, the years passing, three children, and Allison a very conscientious mother whose main word in her vocabulary now seems to be, No. Carlos, on the other hand, seems to be playing good parent to her perceived bad parent (at least in terms of saying no all the time to her children).
So far, so ordinary. Allison goes through job interview but is overqualified. Carlos goes to his workplace, testing toys, having to control and direct his staff. Of the children, Katie is 14 and wants to go to a concert with her friends rather than with her parents. Nando is not very good at maths but loves science and makes a video of his mother for a school project, linking her with Hitler and Mussolini… Ellie is little but not always sweetness and light.
A weary teacher, coach, school advisor suggests to the parents the idea of a Yes Day, a whole day without No. After seeing the video, Allison agrees to the day, even making a bet that she will win and will accompany Katie to the concert.
The kids (mainly with the help of the screenwriter!) devise all kinds of challenges for parental consent – to the flamboyant style of the clothes they wear, a bulk ice cream eating competition (no charge if everything is gobbled down within 30 minutes – and Carlos wins), drive-through a car washing procedure – with the windows down! Then, gathering a crowd for four teams, a paintball fight competition – which Allison wins. The parents then decide to break a travelling distance rule and go to the fair, Magic Mountain with all its rollercoasterss, rides, carousels.
Unfortunately, this is where parental example breaks down, Allison wanting to win a pink gorilla at a stall for Katie, clashes with a rival who also wants it, a fight, security, arrest, in jail.
Then things go to the worse!
Katie lets and Nando and Ellie go home where Nando has his Nerd Day, a science experiment of explosions, crowds of kids, mayhem, explosions and foam everywhere. And Katie joins up with her friends and goes to the concert, finally becoming a bit wary.
How can one top all this! Obviously, Allison goes looking for Katie, she decides that the way to appeal to Katie is to go on stage, actually getting the sympathetic help of the main singer, played by H.E.R.and, it works, with Allison and Katie on stage with the singer to great applause. Carlos goes home and, in an exemplary way, takes charge, halting the kids and their mayhem, but not letting them escape, everyone having to help with the cleanup effort.
So, some parental advice about saying yes. Some caution for children about make-believe freedom and the realities of responsibility.
And all in 85 minutes.
(Jennifer Garner worked for director, Miguel Arteta, in the family film, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day)
