As a kid, having a “Yes Day” would be the best day ever.

The movie Yes Day on Netflix gives families a feel of what that kind of day might be like: kids going crazy, bending all the rules, and having tons of fun. 

Essentially on a “Yes Day,” the parents have to say yes to everything the kids want for one day. There are rules of course; for example, the kids are not able to make any decisions greatly affecting the future, and they can’t travel out of a certain mileage. 

Still, this left the three kids, Katie (Jenna Ortega), Evan (Julian Lerner), and Ellie (Everly Carganilla) with lots of options for their “Yes Day.” 

The chaotic day included ice cream for breakfast, wearing ridiculous costumes in public, and going through a carwash with the windows down—the latter proving to be very messy but very exhilarating.

I kept trying to predict the outcome of this movie but was surprised at every twist that was thrown at me. The creators did an exquisite job of making sure the movie didn’t follow the average family-movie plot style. 

I cannot think of anyone better than Jennifer Garner herself to play Allison, the mom of these three kids, in the movie because she arranges “Yes Days” in real life with her own family. She is an advocate for one day a year when she lets her kids bend the rules a bit and have fun doing things as a family that they normally wouldn’t do. 

Since Garner portrayed the mother in the 2014 movie, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day, it seemed extremely fitting for her to revamp her role in Yes Day as the mother, since the two movies reminded me a lot of one another. Any fan of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day would be a huge fan of Yes Day due to the similarities. 

Seeing Ortega star in the movie was a great way to see how she has evolved as an actress. I grew up watching the show, Stuck in the Middle, on Disney Channel where Ortega played the main character, Harley. Both that show and this movie were very family-oriented and promoted close family relationships. I think, in this type of setting, Ortega is in her element. 

As for the rest of the actors, I thought the movie was well cast and had a strong family dynamic, shown very strongly in the movie, and the whirlwind of frivolous but meaningful fun was a refreshing way to see a loving family dynamic’s bond become stronger.

I would’ve loved to have a “Yes Day” implemented into my days as a kid; the movie made it look so much fun, being given that amount of freedom and control all in one day. 

I enjoyed the movie, though it did seem like it was targeted at more of a younger audience. 

I think kids around middle school age would be able to sit through it longer than most high-schoolers, simply because the actors themselves were younger and the activities were very kid-friendly—which is not a bad thing if you just want a light-hearted movie to watch. If reliving a portion of your youth is something you are seeking in a movie, Yes Day is a stellar option. 

Many movies tend to go overboard with crazy ventures in this type of filming style, but I’m glad Netflix didn’t make activities of the “Yes Day” too unattainable. None of the choices were very extravagant or outrageous. This could give inspiration to families who desire to do “Yes Days” for their families as well, especially without making the possibility seem out of reach.