As it does every year, Netflix has already began flooding its service with an oversaturation of original content, which mostly lacks in thought and originality due to the rushed nature of each production. In general, these films often fall under the radar due to a lack of marketing, thereby further demonstrating the company’s lack of caring in all but a few stand-out films that it releases yearly.
One such film, “Yes Day,” is a by-the-numbers family film that does little to invoke any legitimate thoughts or emotions from its audience. Though it occasionally poses interesting themes, in addition to moments of heart, the film does little to make it stand out from other, arguably better family films. However, its premise and juvenile humor make the film something which younger viewers may enjoy, thereby making it something which should not be taken too seriously in the long run.
The film depicts a family as they experience a fun-filled day in which the parents, Allison (Jennifer Garner, “Wonder Park”) and Carlos (Édgar Ramírez, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”), are obligated to say “yes” to the demands of their three children, with some ground rules set in place. If they fail to meet any reasonable request, the parents must allow their oldest daughter, Katie (Jenna Ortega, “The Babysitter: Killer Queen”), to attend a concert with a friend and without adult supervision.
As with most modern kid’s films, “Yes Day” is bogged down by humor which mainly consists of toilet jokes, generic dialogue and showcasing physical pain for the purpose of laughs. As such, parents with higher expectations may find the film to drag due to its humor mostly falling flat. However, less demanding child audiences may find themselves mildly entertained, thereby allowing for the film to stand as at least a mild distraction.
During portions of the film, an interesting recurring theme is brought up, though it is disappointingly left unresolved by the film’s end. Unlike most family films, “Yes Day” addresses the concept of the mom always being the bad guy, while fathers usually get to be the fun parent. If it had been well-developed and presented, this idea could have made for a compelling conflict which would have taken the film in a much more interesting direction. Though it is occasionally mentioned in order to drive minor portions of the plot, the theme is ultimately abandoned in favor of more generic children’s film tropes.
Despite its shortcomings, “Yes Day” does possess one major plus. Unlike most Netflix-produced films, in which the actors seemingly phone-in their roles, this film showcases a well-assembled group of performers who all seem to have legitimate fun as they play their respective roles. In doing so, they provide a sense of authenticity in portraying a family that would certainly act as he would while enjoying a fun-filled day of spontaneity. Had it not submitted to the cliches seen in most other family films, it is very possible that “Yes Day” could have been significantly more innovative and creative than how it turned out to be.
Image from Netflix via YouTube
