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Yes, God, Yes Review: Sharply Funny & Honest Teen Sex Comedy
Teen sex comedies aren't necessarily a rarity in Hollywood, but they're often too silly or raunchy to feel entirely true to the teenage experience - rather portraying a high concept version of teens' lives. Yes, God, Yes is the rare teen sex dramedy that is written, directed and acted to be as true to life as possible. Written and directed by Karen Maine, Yes, God, Yes serves as her feature-length directorial debut, after helming the short of the same name on which this movie is based. (Another of Maine's short films, Obvious Child, was previously turned into the 2014 movie starring Jenny Slate.) Yes, God, Yes is an achingly honest and entertaining-as-hell journey through one teen's burgeoning sexuality and personal reckoning with Catholicism.
Yes, God Yes, follows Midwest teenager Alice (Natalia Dyer), living in the early 2000s and struggling with her sexual desires, especially as they conflict with the strict rules on sex within her Catholic community. Prompted by guilt over a sexually explicit AOL chat and a rumor that starts to circulate about her and a boy in her class, Alice attends a weekend retreat with her best friend Laura (Francesca Reale), led by Father Murphy (Timothy Simons). But though she tries to suppress her urges, her curiosity and her flirtations with one of the youth leaders, Chris (Wolfgang Novogratz), become overwhelming. As a result, it remains to be seen if Alice will be able to find the redemption she seeks or if she'll discover peace in some other form.
With Yes, God, Yes, Maine crafts an entirely authentic portrayal of a teen girl discovering her sexuality, with an eye that is uniquely trained on all the quirks of the female experience. This is perhaps best epitomized by one scene early on in the movie when Alice first meets Chris and Maine's camera switches to a close-up shot on Chris's arms, with Alice's hand hesitantly touching his hair there, while a soft cover of Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle" plays in the background. The moment of fantasy is both so tame and so erotic at the same time, tapping directly into Alice's desires with a specificity that is wholly relatable even for those who weren't a teen girl in the early 2000s. It's this authenticity and honestness that Maine brings to the entirety of Yes, God, Yes which ultimately elevates the movie to something more special than just another teen sex comedy.
With Maine working behind the scenes on Yes, God, Yes, Dyer steals the show on screen, offering a dynamic and excellent performance as Alice. Because the movie tells Alice's story above all else, Dyer must carry much of the film and she does so admirably, portraying the teen with all the curiousness and rebellion and other conflicted emotions that come with being a teenager trying to figure out who they are - especially within a community that feels suffocating. Ayer is backed up in Yes, God, Yes by a fascinating performance by Simons as the Catholic priest who represents the religion's rules about sex - and the hypocritical nature of that position. With solid performances from supporting cast members like Novogratz, Reale, Alisha Boe and Donna Lynne Champlin, Yes, God, Yes has a well-rounded cast that brings the whole movie together.
Ultimately, Yes, God, Yes delivers a wholly entertaining, thoughtful and authentic dramedy about a teen's sexual desires. It's the rare movie about such a subject that doesn't paint those desires as anything other than natural, and doesn't try to soften them by turning up the raunch comedy. Maine's perspective is frank in a way that Hollywood rarely is with teen sexuality, as if filmmakers must water down their honesty to make a movie more palatable to audiences. Maine is uncompromising in her depiction of Alice's sexuality and desires and Yes, God, Yes becomes a refreshingly authentic take on the coming of age story.
As a result, Yes, God, Yes is perfect viewing for anyone looking to watch a fun sex comedy that's an honest portrayal of a teen's experiences. Beyond its compelling story, Maine's movie is also incredibly entertaining, and explores its premise in a neat, briskly paced 78 minutes (the rare under-90-minute film). For those still staying at home - or venturing out to a local drive-in where possible - Yes, God, Yes provides an excellent distraction without feeling overlong. It may be a comparably quieter summer movie experience, but it provides the necessary escape and delivers plenty of laughs. In the end, Yes, God, Yes, is a sharply funny and authentic teen sex comedy/drama that's sure to charm viewers.
Yes, God, Yes releases in virtual cinemas and drive-ins Friday, July 24th, then on digital and VOD Tuesday, July 28th. It is 78 minutes long and rated R for sexual content and some nudity.
