movie review yes day

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Where to Watch

Watch Yes Day with a subscription on Netflix.

What to Know

Yes Day fails to take full advantage of its wish-fulfillment premise, aiming for family fun but settling for harmlessly mediocre.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Miguel Arteta

Jennifer Garner

Allison Torres

Edgar Ramírez

Carlos Torres

Jenna Ortega

Katie Torres

Julian Lerner

Nando Torres

Everly Carganilla

Ellie Torres

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Supported by

‘Yes Day’ Review: It’s a Family Affair

A sunny family of five agrees to a day where a mother and father must consent to whatever the kids want in this broad Netflix comedy.

Share full article

By Natalia Winkelman

Ice cream for breakfast ? Silly costumes in public ? Parents are required to give the green light to every request on Yes Day, a designated 24-hour period when kids take charge.

Despite the farce and chaos such a premise could contain, there is little that’s edgy or engaging in “Yes Day,” a mediocre comedy streaming on Netflix . Directed by Miguel Arteta, the film follows the Torres family, a sunny and fairly conventional suburban household. Mornings find the dad (Edgar Ramírez) dancing and bantering with the kids while the mom (Jennifer Garner), type-A and in the kitchen, wags a finger.

All seems well until parent-teacher night, when teachers suggest the Torres children are suffering from draconian rules at home. No matter that the kids construct waffle volcanoes at breakfast, scatter toys around the house and appear to lead an altogether breezy life. Once the siblings call their mom a fun-killer, she schedules a Yes Day to prove them wrong.

Adapted from a children’s book, “Yes Day” ticks off a series of youthful wishes as the Torres clan engages in extravagant — but never out-of-the-question — behavior. Using slow motion and montage, the film follows the family as they give Mom a makeover, slurp an enormous sundae and visit a carwash with the windows down. Later, in the movie’s grandest set piece, the siblings escort their parents to a game of capture the flag with water balloons — a sequence that feels less like a forbidden desire granted than an oddly elaborate event for three kids to have organized.

But though “Yes Day” does not lack for energy, the jokes are too broad and the mishaps too safe for the movie to emerge as an honest or imaginative journey through family conflict and compromise. Dad is chased by vindictive birds, Mom picks a fight at a theme park and the kids come to appreciate that, sometimes, adults are right to say no to things — like this movie.

Yes Day Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 26 minutes. Watch on Netflix.

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Cast & crew
User reviews

Jennifer Garner, Edgar Ramírez, Jenna Ortega, Julian Lerner, and Everly Carganilla in Yes Day (2021)

A mom and dad who usually say no decide to say yes to their kids' wildest requests with a few ground rules on a whirlwind day of fun and adventure. A mom and dad who usually say no decide to say yes to their kids' wildest requests with a few ground rules on a whirlwind day of fun and adventure. A mom and dad who usually say no decide to say yes to their kids' wildest requests with a few ground rules on a whirlwind day of fun and adventure.

Miguel Arteta
Justin Malen
Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Tom Lichtenheld
Jennifer Garner
Edgar Ramírez
Jenna Ortega
252 User reviews
78 Critic reviews
46 Metascore
2 nominations

Top cast 99+

Allison Torres

Carlos Torres

Katie Torres

Nando Torres

Ellie Torres

Jean the Paramedic

Officer Jones

Officer Chang

Counter Gal
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

Trivia The flashbacks showed Allison wearing the exact same pearl necklace Jennifer Garner previously wore in 13 Going On 30.
Goofs When the daughter asks the mom if she wants cotton candy, the mom says "No". She is supposed to say "Yes" all day. However, the dad said "please no more food" and the mum said yes to going on rides. The cotton candy was kindly offered by the daughter, it was not a challenge.

Allison Torres : If there's one thing I've learned from being a mom, it's that parents and kids always disagree on one thing... Rules.

Crazy credits As the credits roll the guidance counselor gets pelleted with water balloons.
Connections Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Jennifer Garner/Don Lemon/Arianne Lenker (2021)
Soundtracks Another One Bites the Dust Written by John Deacon Performed by Queen Courtesy of Universal International Music BV Under license from Universal Music Enterprises Courtesy of Hollywood Records

User reviews 252

A feel good time passer family film.

Vetrrich_Chelvan
Mar 11, 2021
How long is Yes Day? Powered by Alexa
March 12, 2021 (United States)
United States
Official Netflix Site
Ngày Đồng Ý
Six Flags Magic Mountain - 26101 Magic Mountain Parkway, Valencia, California, USA
Entertainment 360
Grey Matter Productions
See more company credits at IMDbPro
Runtime 1 hour 26 minutes
Dolby Digital