Yes Day is an upcoming American comedy film directed by Miguel Arteta, from a screenplay and screen story by Justin Malen, based upon the children’s book of the same name by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. It stars Jennifer Garner, Édgar Ramírez, and Jenna Ortega. Always feeling like they have to say NO to their kids and co-workers, Allison and Carlos decide to give their three kids a YES DAY — where for 24 hours the kids make the rules. Little did they know that they’d be going on a whirlwind adventure around Los Angeles that would bring the family closer to each other than ever before. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Kyla C. comments, “If you’re looking for a humorous, fun family film, Yes Day is the perfect option! Lots of laughs, great acting, and spectacular special effects fill up this film to make it an amazing movie. Sit down ready to laugh when you choose Yes Day.” Tiana S., adds, “This fun film offers plenty of great lessons. The main message is that it is okay to step out of your comfort zone and have a little fun. Also, sometimes it really is great to have parents or others by your side to help you out and make sure you are doing what’s right for yourself.” See their full reviews below.
Yes Day
By Kyla C, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11
If you’re looking for a humorous, fun family film, Yes Day is the perfect option! Lots of laughs, great acting, and spectacular special effects fill up this film to make it an amazing movie. Sit down ready to laugh when you choose Yes Day. Allison Torres (Jennifer Garner), a mother who used to be full of fun, finds herself saying “no” to everything. Her oldest daughter, Katie Torres (Jenna Ortega), wants to go to the Fleek Festival with her friends, but gets a “no”. That is, unless she goes with her Mom, which is not cool anymore. All of the kids are getting frustrated, and their guidance counselor (Nat Faxon) gives Allison and her husband Carlos (Edgar Ramirez) a tip. Have a “Yes Day”- answer “yes” to everything your kids ask. Watch as the family unites on an adventure-filled day while the kids learn some lessons.
This film is a creative adaptation of Amy Kroise Rosenthal’s children’s book. As you can imagine, a day where parents say “yes” to everything their kids ask will probably turn out chaotic. A lot of special effects are used to make this come to life. They are realistic and engaging. Along with the incredible effects, the acting is beyond most entertainment that I’ve seen. The actors connect with their characters and bring them to life. They do it in such a way that makes the characters seem more likeable, while not giving off the sense that they are perfect. Flaws in each of the characters, particularly in the kids, can be seen, which is very important to make them more relatable. Yet another element of creativity is the constant humor. The hilarious storyline combined with the on-point acting create wonderful, funny scenes spread throughout the entire film. Never doubt this film’s ability to make you burst into laughter!
Most of the movie is focused on the themes of having fun, laughing and appreciating family. The film is pretty light-hearted, but there are some deeper messages such as listening to parents, understanding what is best for you and realizing what you did wrong. The family members get to see each other in an entirely new light. Siblings make up, parents grow closer, and the family becomes more loving of each other in the end.
I give Yes Day 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 14, plus adults. Yes Day releases on Netflix on March 12, 2021, so get ready to laugh!
Yes Day
By Tiana S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 10
Yes Day is a film you cannot say no to watching! It’s an action packed, adventurous eventful and hilariously fun family film. After seeing this film, you will want to try your own family “yes day.”
Yes Day is about the Torres Family deciding to have a family “yes day” where the kids make up the rules for 24 hours and the parents can’t say “no.” After the kids, Katie (Jenna Ortega), Nando (Julian Lerner) and Elle (Everly Carganilla) challenge their parents Alison (Jennifer Garner) and Carlos (Édgar Ramírez) into thinking that they could never make it through the challenges because they aren’t cool enough, the family has a day of family-building activities filled with ups and downs, while trying to make it the best “yes day” ever. Things get interesting when the kids decide to try things without adult supervision.
The concept of “yes days” will have kids excited and parents ready for the challenge. But, even though they sound like a lot of fun, they can be dangerous or possibly get out of hand without proper supervision as you can see in this film. My favorite scene in this movie is when the Torres kids decide to have their family order a Gut Buster ice cream. It has so much ice cream and the parents didn’t realize this was part of a “yes day” activity and they have to help eat it all. I also like the scene where Alison Torres is fighting a lady for a stuffed pink gorilla at the carnival. It is hilarious and also great to see what she would do to make her kids happy. My favorite character is Katie, because I really like her challenging and brave personality and how fun and cool she is in the film. I also loved watching Katie and her mom’s relationship evolve throughout “yes day.”
This fun film offers plenty of great lessons. The main message is that it is okay to step out of your comfort zone and have a little fun. Also, sometimes it really is great to have parents or others by your side to help you out and make sure you are doing what’s right for yourself. Some things to be aware of are some mild profanity and some dangerous activities kids that should not try at home. I rate Yes Day 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 10 to 18, plus adults. Make sure to look for it when it premieres March 12, 2021 on Netflix.
