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Parents' Guide to

Yes Day

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Book-based family comedy mixes silly fun, positive messages.

Movie PG 2021 129 minutes
Yes Day Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 8+

Based on 28 parent reviews

Ali N.
Ali N. Adult
May 16, 2021
age 8+

Ok, Parents. Chill.

This movie wasn't supposed to be a Grammy awarding, kids are angels, everything is sunshine and rainbows movie. It's just supposed to be funny and cute and perfect for a family movie night. While I agree there was some mature content, this isn't a G-rated movie and the reviews were right here for you to read BEFORE you watched it, so you shouldn't have been surprised. -The daughter does have some disrespectful attributes, but she's a teenager. They aren't perfect and for a teen to be portrayed as perfect in a movie would be wrong. She looked out for her siblings, resolved her relationship with her mom, and apologized. -The projects they did in school were not meant to make the mom mad because if she had gotten mad, it would have been the same circle all over again that her children were trying to prove with their projects. -the music festival turned out to be a lesson to Katie about life, and I'm glad that was added in there. The guys never disrespected her, and even her friends (Layla) respected her decision not to go into the tent. I really admired Katie's strength when she knew going with the boys was wrong, and she stood up for herself. -As for the ending, the dad grounded them all, what more do you want? Nando did his best to try and stop the party before it got any worse, so it's not his fault. The happy ending was not supposed to show that bad actions can go without consequences, it was supposed to show that no matter what you do, mom and dad will always love you. That was the point of the movie. -Yes Day was really good, my whole family watched it, our youngest being 5, and he laughed the whole time as well as my dad and mom. (I am 15). I loved this movie because it really showed the importance of loosening up and loving your family. If you don't like the mature themes (that are barely there) then I would suggest Finding Nemo, cause you can't hide your kids from this stuff forever, besides, what's the worst that could happen? They might want a Yes Day after watching this?
ohiostatedog1
ohiostatedog1 Adult
May 10, 2021
age 10+

Disrespectful kids, dumb parent stereotypes will leave you having to explain why this movie is wrong to your children

I work at a school with kids with behavior issues, and we have a movie once a week to reward positive behaviors. We spend a lot of time helping them understand accepting no decisions and respecting authority, but this movie made all their wrong ideas justified. Please don't watch it with kids, even though it has a common sense selection badge. I ignored the one star reviews to my own peril. We are only finishing the movie so I can explain why it's wrong and things don't work the way the movie showed.
See all 28 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Allison Torres (Jennifer Garner) is always saying no to her three kids -- until one day the Torres family agrees to have a YES DAY. This involves parents agreeing to say yes to anything their kids want to do (with a few sensible ground rules). The concept, Allison and her husband, Carlos (Edgar Ramirez), are told, is that their kids will stop complaining about what they don't have and don't get to do on other days if they're given the occasional no-holds-barred day of fun and freedom. What Allison and Carlos aren't ready for is the wild day that their kids -- teen Katie (Jenna Ortega), tween Nando (Julian Lerner), and little sister Ellie (Everly Carganilla) -- have in store for them. Their yes day sends the Torres family across Los Angeles and into some unanticipated situations. But the family will find themselves more united -- and more understanding of one another's positions -- before the day is over.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (28 ):
Kids say (74 ):

Parents can go along for the ride on this movie, which is sure to entertain younger kids and offer positive lessons for tweens and teens. Like Allison and Carlos, a lot of parents can probably relate to the feeling that they've lost their groove since they had kids, or that their kids have no idea who they were before they became parents. The film abbreviates that message for young viewers: Allison and Carlos didn't just have fun pre-parenthood, they jumped out of airplanes and scaled cliffs. The chaos of their "yes day" is similarly sketched in shorthand: The Torres family doesn't just say yes, they go nuts. Garner takes the cake in a couple of very physical scenes involving a high-stakes capture-the-flag challenge and a knock-down brawl at an amusement park. Ramirez balances her out as the family's accident-prone "good cop." Having him (and Garner) speak Spanish with the kids regularly adds a great touch that many viewers will appreciate.

Kids may find the Torres family's antics hilarious: Carlos' indigestion post-ice cream binge, a house filled with sudsy water and makeshift water slides, roller coasters, water balloon fights, and parent-free adventures. But at the end of the yes day, the kids also figure out that they really do want some boundaries ... and still ultimately need their parents. It's a message parents can get behind, and just in time for older viewers: No sane parent is going to let their new-ish family vehicle fill with soap and water at a car wash just for their kids' entertainment. The film seems to be suggesting that a healthier motto for parents and kids alike is "all things in moderation." Although the film doesn't take its own advice -- going overboard and eschewing any semblance of reality more often than not -- it does have worthy themes and entertainment value for families.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the concept of a "yes day." Has your family ever had one? How did it go? Was it worth it? If you haven't, does the movie make you want to have one? How could you make sure it was safe and fun for everyone?

  • If you've read the book, how does it compare with the movie?

  • Katie goes to the music festival with her friend against her parents' wishes and behind their backs. Why did she make that decision? Was it a good one? Have you ever done something without your parents' consent? How did you feel about it?

  • How does Yes Day show the value of communication and its role in promoting empathy? Why are those valuable character strengths?

Movie Details

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