Behind the Scenes of Yes Man

Three little letters, one simple word: Y-E-S, Yes!

Jim Carrey is returning to his 90s roots of high-concept comedy with Yes Man, the story of Carl Allen (Carrey), a man caught in a tailspin thanks to his constant negativity and dependence on the word “No” until he signs up for a self-help seminar with one simple tenant: Say Yes to EVERYTHING! Finding himself in a powerful covenant, Carl unleashes the power of “Yes” and discovers his life changes in remarkable, unexpected ways from job promotions to romance. Of course, since it’s a Jim Carrey comedy, there’s also some bungee jumping, oral sex from a senior citizen and a bar brawl as Carl begins to realize that sometimes you can have too much of a good thing and his Yes-itude needs to be modulated. 

Director Peyton Reed (Bring It On, The Break-Up) and Carrey were both deeply intrigued by the idea of what would happen if the only answer was “Yes.”

“We were doing a movie where the guy says 'yes' to life and the possibilities were literally infinite in terms of what we could do with that concept,” Reed explains. However, that didn’t mean they wanted the film to lack believability. “It was very important to both Jim and to me to ground the film in some sort of reality,” Reed continues. “It’s not a magical conceit movie, it’s not magical realism. It’s just about a guy who makes the choice to adopt this philosophy.”

“To sit back and imagine all the things you can get into if you say 'yes' is pretty fertile territory,” Carrey adds, a glimmer of mischief in his eye.

For many audience members, Carrey will always be remembered for his roles in Ace Ventura and Dumb and Dumber but, recently, he’s made a shift to more thoughtful, provocative work with films like The Number 23 and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Yes Man is a throwback to the roles that first secured Carrey in the pantheon of comedic stars, but this time he was able to approach the film with a gentler touch.

“Jim really reined himself in,” Reed reveals. “It was the first comedy he’d done in a few years and he really wanted to put a different spin on it. It’s still a Jim Carrey studio comedy but it’s a little more grounded.”

That gravity comes from the film’s star, now a little older, a little wiser and far less manic than the man who made The Mask.

“I just like being creative,” Carrey shrugs when asked about his evolving career. “I just want to tell stories. Ultimately, it’s not the money, certainly not the fame, because that’s a pain in the ass; it’s really the person in the seat that you think about when you sit in the rooms and write and do all the things you have to do. It really comes down to thinking about someone laughing,” he says, almost wistfully. “It’s really that that gets me off: the idea of people actually laughing and maybe having something to think about when they leave the theater.”

The message Carrey hopes audiences take with them after seeing Yes Man is simple and surprisingly heartfelt from the man who has made millions by talking with his ass cheeks.

“To have a good laugh and feel good in your heart, that is a message,” Carrey proclaims, sounding charmingly Tony Robbins-esque. “Engage in life, say yes more than you did before and life turns out alright. Usually you regret the things you say no to.”