Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

AutCuddly Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Chris_Docker Potter's idiosyncratic exploration of conflict is almost a diamond bashed into a cheap ring. The film's title is a clever intellectual device, an affirmation of the positive, explained in the ending by the narrator-philosopher cleaning lady, and in a conversation about numbers mid-film. As an anti-war film (post 9/11 and filmed during the early occupation of Iraq) it is rather less coherent, hinting at its theme obliquely through the love affair of an Irish-American woman and man from Beirut.The most immediately distinctive characteristic is that the whole film uses a dialogue of iambic pentameter. In this it is brilliantly successful. The lines come naturally and I felt myself transported as if hearing Shakespeare in his own era. It runs the gamut of eloquent flights of poetry, unfurling like a woman's hair from a clasp, to the foul-mouthed language of a punk-rocker kitchen assistant. It never once seems forced.The story follows a beautiful woman, maybe in her forties, played by Joan Allen and never named. She is a scientist, lives a luxurious lifestyle but in a cold, 'open' marriage to a politician (played by Sam Neill). She strikes up a passionate affair with a waiter/chef from the Middle East who charms her one night at an official function she must attend. But having played the wonderful (and sincere) Lothario, he breaks off with her when he realises he is only valued for the image she has of him. He has to struggle to fit in, living in a western country, speaking English, adopting 'her' culture. Yet she knows nothing of him, his background. Not even a single word of his language.It is in the portrayal of different – and far from simplistic – gender stereotypes that Potter excels. All the characters are beautifully hewn and totally unalike, each justifiable to him or herself. We don't gain much insight into politics, but we do see interesting 'types' of women – and men. All portrayed with respect and highlighting our shallow understanding of anyone who might be of a different mental make-up to ourselves.The film's shortcomings can be viewed sympathetically. The religious rants are just that, and lacking depth. But would we expect more of most people? Perhaps not. But as the cleaner is prone to comment on everything, a few words of insight might not have been amiss. Or is it that Ms Potter knows as little about Christianity, Islam and Lebanon as the characters she accuses? Some scenes would have benefited from jump cuts at the point where interest languishes. One might argue that they are consistent with the storyline of over-attachment to a love affair or particular point of view. That did not stop me wanting the scene to move on instead of saying the same thing again in another impressive (if redundant) piece of verse.The sudden shifts of location – to Beirut and Cuba – are visually appealing (even if Joan Allen had to be in reality shot in the Dominican Republic due to U.S. restrictions on its citizens working in Cuba). But they also have the feeling of a cop-out for mainstream audiences. Potter claimed that, "Endings are notoriously difficult," and technical problems and time pressures added to the production worries. But this does not assuage the reality that the intended political comment is explored without being well thought out. And that the choice of ending seems to be more for appeasing audiences than adding to a consistent whole.Yes is a proud addition to Sally Potter's highly personal and curiously successful work. Though perhaps not the masterpiece she might have wanted.

Hughmn Several reviewers mention Shakespeare... but what I thought back to, while watching this mesmerizing film was Dylan Thomas. Sally Potter is really his heir.I missed this film in the theater because a friend who saw it didn't know what to make of the poetry, and was put off by it. The idea of such a film is audacious, but I was afraid it would terribly difficult to pull off, and likely come off like some kind of stunt. I was SO wrong. I had completely forgotten about the film by the time I pulled the DVD off the video store shelf.Within the first few minutes I was totally focused and delighted. Occasionally I had trouble understanding the accents, but that got easier as the film went along. If it was only a stunt, then it would still be little more than just that, but Sally Potter has something strong and beautiful to say, and the two leads (along with the wonderful Shirley Henderson as the chorus) illuminate Potter's words before our eyes. This is strong stuff, the stuff of life. Watch it with your eyes, your ears and your mind.

mcort5 This movie is a refreshing departure from the usual fish-out-of water / Boy meets Girl fare. The sense of dissatisfaction that She experiences in her marriage is conveyed realistically. His loneliness and sense of persecution for being a Muslim in modern U.K. gives the story a contemporary and relevant angle. The courtly and erotic way in which he captures her heart as well as the use of verse injects the right amount of romance.Minor flaw: Since it is told in verse, some of the "fleshing out" of the relationships is missing.Bonus:Great shots of Cuba

bob the moo She is a scientist in a loveless and dead marriage with politician Anthony. He is chef in a London hotel. They meet one night when she comes to a dinner event with her husband. A small bit of flirting turns into a meeting and starts an affair between him and her that is passionate and intimate despite the gap between them in regards race, status, culture, background and income.I was brought to this film out of curiosity more than anything else. The plot summary said that it was written entirely in rhyming couplets and, despite not knowing quite what to expect I figured it was different and interesting enough to be worth a look. At first the novelty of hearing a modern Shakespearian dialogue distracted me from the story but once my brain got into the flow of the words I was taken into the characters and the story. Plot wise I can see why some viewers are put off this because the story is secondary to the characters and the dialogue. That said though, the characters are well brought out with the dialogue – which is something I didn't think would be that easy to do. I was interested in He and She although I must admit that the story wasn't there to make the most of them.Instead the film does delight in the dialogue and holding the audience with the flow as much as with the content. This was enough for me but I understand why this makes this film one of limited appeal which is why the votes on this site number in the hundreds rather than the thousands. The cast respond well to this across the board but none more so than Allen. She enjoys the lead and makes a lot of her character and her lines. Abkarian is almost as good but the film offers him less to do – he works well with Allen even though the dialogue does slightly limit the impression of passion between them. Supporting turns from Neill, Leonidas, Lewis, Johnson mostly produce good individual scenes while Henderson does a good job as the narrator, framing the film as one of several cleaners viewing the stage while also being on it themselves.Overall then a curio piece that is worth a look for what it does well. It flows well to the ear even if Potter's ability as director is somewhat less than that as the writer here. The cast deal well with the dialogue and aid the flow but the weaknesses in the narrative are there for all to see and will put many viewers off from seeing what it does well.