Maine injects the pop music sounds of the early 2000s so much in the film that the musical backdrop becomes a kind of Greek chorus. In a scene that calls to mind Jamie Babbit’s But I’m a Cheerleader (1999), Alice ends up in a lesbian bar where the owner (wonderfully played by Susan Blackwell) provides wise counsel and gives her a wider perspective than the narrow viewpoints that have been torturing her. Movie has progressive, sex-positive themes about how it's natural for adolescents to have and explore sexual feelings, attraction, curiosity, how none of this is something to be ashamed of or repress. Privacy | There Alice develops a reputation as a slut and ultimately spends much of the movie trying to overcome her scarlet letter while at the same time still hungering for sexual gratification. There’s no nudity, no tough language, nothing exploitative or racy. Thank you for your support. The whole movie represents a 16-year-old catholic Alice who struggles with what every teen struggles with, which is hormonal sexual desires. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Alice takes all of this seriously, and is truly concerned when the scene in “Titanic” (the one where Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio steam up the car) gets her motor running. Between the soundtrack (TLC’s “Unpretty,” Christina Aguilera’s “Genie in a Bottle”) and the film’s original score, the presence of music feels all-pervading, which sometimes undermines the performances of her strong ensemble cast. 12:20 PM PST 3/9/2019 Wrong use of religion to support today's use of Movies. I watched this with my young teen. Posters promoting abstinence line the hallways. Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. The Hollywood Reporter, LLC is a subsidiary of Prometheus Global Media, LLC. Sex comedy has worthy messages amid all its raunchy humor. The coming-of-age drama Yes, God, Yes, writer-director Karen Maine's feature debut, is an upbeat story about a Catholic school girl’s struggle to make sense of her sexuality. Parents: Set preferences and get age-appropriate recommendations with Common Sense Media Plus. Yes, God, Yes is masturbatory in the best possible way. TWITTER A standout scene is Alice’s random encounter with an older lesbian (beautifully played by Susan Blackwell), where Alice realizes for the first time that there’s a big world out there, and being an adult doesn’t mean you have to be an uptight hypocrite. Her desires to crush her impure urges fly out the window the second she arrives at the retreat and gets a look at a teenage hunk named Chris (Wolfgang Novogratz). Sometimes it feels like the film wants to go even harder at Catholicism than it does, but it holds back as if aware that it will offend. "Yes, God, Yes" started as a short film, and the feature is Maine’s debut as a director. Hilarious teen sex comedy has lots of raunch, drinking. Not only is sex before marriage forbidden, but masturbation isn’t allowed either. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Self-control is a theme. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. Alice is so innocent that when faced with a rumor about the sexual act she supposedly performed at a party, she has to ask her best friend what the term even means. (The story is largely based on Maine’s real-life experience growing up in Iowa in a Catholic family. Things escalate from there as a rumor goes around her high school that she “tossed the salad” with her crush Wade (Parker Wierling), who has a girlfriend. Because of her newfound reputation, she's invited to attend a spiritual school retreat, where, instead of rededicating herself to abstinence, Alice falls in lust with her heartthrob small-group counselor (Wolfgang Novogratz). “Yes, God, Yes,” written and directed by Karen Maine, is a refreshing anomaly: a coming-of-age masturbation comedy about a teenage girl. She also co-wrote 2014’s “Obvious Child,” a very funny character study with some sharp insights about the unruliness of women’s bodies. Sales: Joanna Korshak, Christine D’Souza (Endeavor Content). Production designer: Sally Levi The script proves effective at inserting simple elements of dramatic tension into scenes that would have otherwise fallen flat — as when Alice hides in a broom closet with a handful of food fished out of a garbage disposal and nowhere to toss it, or the sight of a hugely pregnant Mrs. Veda throughout the film, a visual nod to the ever-present elephant in the room (sex). © Common Sense Media. How Technology Is Reshaping Democracy and Our Lives, Participate in DigCit Week with your kid by using curated activities from Wide Open School, Online Playdates, Game Nights, and Other Ways to Socialize at a Distance, Keeping Kids Motivated for Online Learning, Set limits for violence and more with Plus. She spends half the film trying to find out what the heck she’s even been accused of. Nina is depicted more hypocritically, preaching one thing but doing another when it comes to premarital sex acts. She's inquisitive and searches for answers. Wondering if Yes, God, Yes is OK for your kids? EMAIL ME. An earnest, repressed priest named Father Murphy (Veep's Timothy Simons) and a pregnant, snippy teacher named Mrs. Veda (Donna Lynne Champlin), along with a group of youth pastor-types, lead the retreat. Now available in virtual cinemas and select drive-ins; available on digital and VOD on July 28. Lots and lots of masturbation. A major plot point is that Alice is accused of "tossing Wade's salad" when she doesn't even know what that means. This is a sweet sincere film about a girl getting all twisted up because of the mixed messages passed down to her. © 2020 The Hollywood Reporter Alice is encouraged to be open with herself about her desires and not be too hung up on rules and regulations of church. On the contrary: there is much here that would say to a teenage girl: “You probably think you’re all alone in feeling like this. Teen Scarlet Letter update is smart but risque. A teen apologizes for his erection after brief kissing. A character lowers herself to perform oral sex, but camera focuses on voyeur who's aroused by the sight and masturbates (clothed) with mop handle. Venue: SXSW Film Festival (Narrative Feature Competition) Producers: Katie Cordeal, Colleen Hammond, Eleanor Columbus, Rodrigo Teixeira All rights reserved. Why is it risky for teens to share intimate content online? The film settles into a particularly joyful groove as Alice finds some much-needed clarity that propels her toward her personal truth for the first time. Do you consider anyone a role model in the movie? Also "dammit," "s--t," "c--k," and "a--hole," and "Jesus Christ" and "Oh my God.". Dark comedy about religion has cursing, sex, drinking. Join now. Parents need to know that Yes, God, Yes is a semi-autobiographical teen comedy set in the early 2000s. There’s nothing here that would shock a teenager. Amusing (if dated) teen comedy with sex talk, acts, chats. She swoons just from a glimpse at his hairy arm. (Her friend doesn’t know.) Unlike one of its filmic peers, Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, Catholicism and the mostly hypocritical Catholics in the movie are the butt of nearly every joke. “Yes, God, Yes” is frank about sex, but it’s funny about sex too. Father Murphy means well in teaching his students about the sanctity of marriage and sex, even as he struggles privately with his celibacy. Alice (Natalia Dyer) is a teenager attending a strict Catholic school, and her world has not prepared her for the (perfectly natural) maelstrom of puberty. It centers on Alice (Natalia Dyer of Stranger Things, a Catholic high school girl who accidentally ends up having a sexual internet chat with a stranger the same week that rumors spread at school about her and a classmate. YES, GOD, YES takes place in the early 2000s, when Alice (Natalia Dyer), an inexperienced teen attending a Catholic high school, accidentally ends up engaging in a suggestive AOL Instant Messenger chat. Families will be able to discuss their beliefs about sexism, sex, and religion after watching the film. One character purposely falls in the woods, scraping and bloodying her knee (and jeans) so that another character will help her walk/pick her up. Catholic and other families of faith may disagree with how the religion and its followers are portrayed. Expect lots of discussion about sex, from virginity and Catholic views on premarital sex to specific sex acts and the reputation you can get for even allegedly doing something.
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