SXSW 2019 Review: YES, GOD, YES: A Film You’d Want To Hug

Yes, God, Yes is living proof that I’m a sucker for small, quiet, warm dramas. In a similar vein to Thunder Road, the Grand Jury winner at last year’s SXSW Film Festival, Yes, God, Yes is the product of a passionate filmmaker (Karen Maine), who started off making her story as a short film, and then went on to transform it into a full-length feature. Though it classifies as another coming-of-age story, its scope is so small and specific, where the experience comes across as intimate, sweet, and in-the-moment.

Taking place in the early 2000s, in the age of AOL Instant Messenger, Yes, God, Yes follows high schooler Alice (Natalia Dyer), who discovers masturbation after an innocent AIM chat becomes sensual, from the “A/S/L” question… to nude pictures. Oh, and by the way, Alice comes from a strict Catholic high school in the Midwest.

Natalia Will Make You Love Alice

This is one of the best casting choices I’ve ever seen in a comedy drama. With a tremendous amount of her performance coming from her eyes, Dyer encapsulates Alice’s confusion, curiosity, and innocence. We are never concerned about what she will say. Rather, we are gripped over what she’s thinking about. From her guilt of her sexual urges, Alice is the driving force of Yes, God, Yes.

Most of the film is Alice reacting to things around her, which gives us a rare sense of intimate empathy. With Maine easing off on the dialogue, the film puts the audience inside Alice’s conscience. Anyone would root for her to figure herself out. In the meantime, it’s still adorable and amusing to see such an innocent girl learn about sexual things for the first time, only to have it all put back into religious context.

Honest Comedy

Situational comedy never fails to put a smile on my face. With Yes, God, Yes playing off like a series of events happening to Alice, Maine finds honest comedy within mundane activities. A lot of the humor comes from the tiniest things that any person can relate to, all while offering hilarious moments of paradox for our protagonist’s growth. It’s also funny because Alice has no clue; she’s a teenager in a Catholic high school, for God’s sake. Imagine hearing from your classmates that you’re impure because you “tossed someone’s salad”. Now imagine not knowing what that even means.. Left and right, Alice is fed contradictory information about what’s considered “sinful”. The contrasts between blissful sexual discovery and over-the-top, inconsistent Catholic teachings are hysterical.

The authenticity of the film comes from this: Maine isn’t exactly using this comedy to suggest we should all be atheists. Rather, she is exploring how any kind of religious background can naturally impose confusion and guilt onto individuals. Despite that being a painful experience in the heat of the moment, it can offer the person a chance of self-discovery and self-faith. This is a film that suggests ideas without ever coming across as harsh or angry at the establishment. The more Alice is taught about being a good Catholic, the more she feels socially repressed, yet Maine keeps the tone of the film at a lighthearted level; almost as if Maine knows, and we know, that Alice is going to be okay. After all, the adults running the show are not perfect people either (props to Timothy Simons for giving a charismatic performance as Father Murphy).

Yes, God, Yes: Understanding its Own Scope

What really sets Yes, God, Yes apart from other coming-of-age films is it understands its own scope. Maine knows her story is driven by physical and emotional details, all happening during a weekend retreat, and she makes sure the film isn’t about anything more than that. It’s not a satire against religion. It’s not a romance either, since the script backs off on Alice interacting with male characters. It’s first and foremost a girl’s journey of self-discovery. I guess this is one of the benefits in having a low budget – you have to be firm on what you need for your story and what you can cut.

Yes, God, Yes is a film you’d want to hug, where its authentic nature, lovable lead, and gentle director can win over anybody, especially if you still remember the post-pubescent experience. Running at a perfect runtime of 78 minutes, the film finds something beautiful, insightful, and provocative out of its hilarious contradictory situations. It’s quietly entertaining, and by the time it’s over, you will feel warmed by its presence. Natalia Dyer is an absolute revelation; you’d want her to star in more movies.

Did you see Yes, God, Yes at SXSW? What did you think of the film? Share below!

Yes, God, Yes premiered at SXSW on March 8, 2019.