The Yes Men (2003)

Directors:

Dan Ollman
Sarah Price

Release Date:

13 January 2005 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Changing the world one prank at a time.

Plot:

Anti-corporate activists travel from conference to conference, impersonating member of the World Trade Organization.

Plot Keywords:

World Trade Organization | Profanity | Impersonation | Prank | Hamburger

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Mike Bonanno	...	Himself
Andy Bichlbaum	...	Himself
Michael Moore	...	Himself
Patrick Lichty	...	Himself
Sal Salamone	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Phil Bayly	...	Chicago News Reporter
Dr. Andreas Bichlbauer	...	Himself
Philip De Lorenzo	...	Himself / Student
Greg Palast	...	Himself

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

Canada:80 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:83 min | Argentina:83 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Mono)

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:13 | Ireland:15A | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Norway:A | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Yes Men Films LLC

Movie Connections:

Features The Birth of a Nation (1915)

Great documentary of a comical movement with serious agenda (and a disturbing manner of executing it)

Imagine- you are a formidable investor, sitting on a Mahogany chair in your chambers and listening to the proposition of two young entrepreneurs to mass market a suit that looks like a star trek outfit with a tv-extension that is located in a very specific area of the body that IMDB reviewers tend to replace its name with signs like : *#@@$%. What would you do? Ask them politely to leave? Call security? Refer them to a Doctor?

Well, if you're one of the economic elite and those two young guys were representatives of the WTO, you would probably clap enthusiastically or, if you're a movie buff that realizes that what he watches really happened, you'd clinch your abdomen so it won't burst from laughing.

As it turns out, what ended as probably the most effective campaign against globalization, started with two guys that had plenty of spare time and very little or no will to grow up. They started an anti-bush site and it got enough resonance to encourage them to design yet another satirical site. This time, about the WTO, an organization that is considered by many (present company EXCLUDED) to be a ruthless organization that its only cause is to weaken developing countries by making them the sweatshop for wealthy corporations.

The "problem" (it turned out to be its greatest virtue) of that site was that it resembled in appearance to the WTO site. As a result, many sent inquiries regarding the WTO to the duo who, up until than, dealt with slightly minor economical dilemmas such as how many pizza toppings to order.

From then on, the sky was the limit. One of the site owners was requested to debate in a CNBC program as a representative of the WTO in favor of the globalization where he stated, with impressive eloquence, deliberately idiotic arguments in favor of the globalization.

The next two years were spent by the duo for making a crusade (which looked like it was taken out of a Monty Python movie) promoting ridiculous notions (like the idea I mentioned in the beginning of this review) to distinguished members of the business community. The Funny/Tragic (depends on the outlook) was that in most places, they had received accolades for their "initiatives" simply because they were mistaken for WTO representatives.

The movie accompanies those two crusaders lobbying against the WTO by impersonating to be its avid supporters and "exposing" its absurdity. I put parenthesis in -exposing because, as its greatest objectors, the duo never raises legitimate arguments in favor of the globalization and deliberately mocks the WTO by proposing horrific solutions to world problems on the WTO's behalf.

That issue is a very disturbing issue because even if I did support their views, I would find it unnerving to be an advocate of a slanderous attack- disguised as satire- disguised as pro WTO activity.

I choose not to debate the issue because the movie creators made the same choice. This movie's perspective is the premise that Globalization is bad and once this point is clear, the movie can switch to lighter note and becomes a light documentary that was funnier than any fictional Hollywood film I've seen in years.

Maybe I should approach this review on a lighter note and instead of dealing with the ethical aspect of the duo's actions, I can just tell you that this film will be fun even if you're not used to see documentary films on the silver screen and as an anarchistic comedy that REALLY HAPPENED, this film is well worth leaving your kids at your parents' house for 80 minutes or so. As long as you don't make a foolish mistake such as taking anything in this film, seriously.

9 out of 10 in my FilmOmeter.