Are you a “Yes” or a “No!” person? For parents, “No!” is part of the job. To a child, earning a “Yes” frequently means pitting parent against parent — telling Dad that Mom gave her approval even after he issued a thumbs down. Parents too can play the game, as in Dad pretending to be the good guy by issuing a “Yes,” knowing full well that Mom will assert final veto power. Mr. Deacon (Nat Faxon), a guidance counselor who, thanks to budget cuts, doubles as gym teacher and football coach, is a distant cousin of credibly bumbling insurance salesman Tim Lippe in Arteta’s bountifully stocked comedy Cedar Rapids. Deacon, whose naiveté extends far beyond the playing field, introduces Allison and Carlos Torres (Garner and Edgar Ramírez) to the concept of a 24-hour period in which parents agree to every one of their children’s wishes. Rules do apply: Yes Days must be earned — helping around the house, improving grades, etc. — and children who request violent acts or ask for anything in the future (i.e. getting a dog) need not apply. But windows-down car washes are definitely doable. The film is a bit of a comedown from the previous Arteta-Garner pairing, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, building on a series of “bigger is better” events rather than moments of personal discovery. And the supporting cast could have used more off-the-wall charmers like Deacon. But don’t let these minor gripes deter you. The three offspring are sufficiently precocious to engage Allison and Carlos, but not cloying enough to turn viewers off. It was also the first time in ages that I got off watching adults dressed (at their children’s behest) as superheroes And rather than the explosion-in-a-paint-factory approach generally found in most pre-teen fantasy films, Arteta’s color palette is thoughtfully applied. All this and you get to enjoy Deacon getting the Sonny Corleone treatment with water balloons. (2021) — Scott Marks
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