The Yes Men

R

Released Sep 24, 2004

1h 20m

Documentary

List

85%

85 Reviews

Tomatometer

67%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

This documentary showcases the beginnings of the "Yes Men," a parody group started by Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum, who initially set up a fake World Trade Organization website to spoof the hypocrisy of the group. Gradually, conferences and news media started to contact the two men thinking they were the actual WTO. Mike and Andy began impersonating members of the WTO at these events, using exaggerated and callous statements to satirize the actions of the organization.

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Critics Consensus

Shining a spotlight on activists as unorthodox as they are entertaining, The Yes Men proves advocating for social change can be seriously funny.

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Audience Member

Amazing Documentary! It shows how corporations are corrupt in a funny manner.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Exposing the trash who run our corporations. It's crazy the press they manage to get.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Love these guys! I donated to their Kickstarter to get this going, pleased to see it on screen.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Two likeable lads take on the big corporations. Posing as representatives of the World Trade Organisation they satirise the Organisation's operations as it promotes international trade agreements that allow corporations to override a nation's policies and eventually create a greater divide between developed and developing countries. The message is still relevant as nations are being asked again to ratify another international trade agreement that will limit a nation's legal system from protectingi its citizens from multinational companies running roughshod over their rights. I loved the team involved in putting this whole satire/show together. Their audacity is wonderful. What is missing however is more context/background of the activities of the WTO and the horrible outcomes of these activities. This would have led to a greater impact for the Yes Men's antics. Including footage of Michael Moore was not enough. Kudos to Herb Alpert for financially supporting the group. I take it they were being serious about this? We didn't actually get to see Mr Alpert.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Disappointingly tame and unfunny documentary, following two well-intentioned activists as they masquerade as WTO spokesmen and mock the greed of their target audience. Problem is, their humour is too opaque, their audiences too small, their effect negligible. And where is the savagery? A wasted opportunity.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

These guys are social/environmental media activists assuming the identities of corporate and beauracratic executives to point out the disconnect between globalization economic theory and plain common sense. It's hilarious and relevant to the problems we face today.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

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Dan Ollman

Director

Sarah Price

Director

Chris Smith

Director

Andy Bichlbaum

Self

Mike Bonanno

Self

Michael Moore

Self

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Joshua Rothkopf

In These Times

Hilariously, The Yes Men follows a subversive group of well-organized activists posing as guest speakers...

Mar 16, 2020

Full Review

Sukhdev Sandhu

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Its willingness to mock not just the men in power suits but the journos and news organisations who swallow their FTSE gibberish is salutary indeed.

Apr 1, 2019

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 3/5

Jun 3, 2006

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...the filmmakers don't have a solid plan for bringing the Yes Men's story to the big screen...

Rated: 2/4

Dec 14, 2013

Full Review

Jay Antani

Cinema Writer

As activists, the Yes Men are about as effective as an article in the satirical weekly, The Onion, or any episode of Phil Hendry's radio show

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 17, 2010

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Uproarious subversive documentary that targets the World Trade Organization.

Rated: A-

Oct 21, 2009

Full Review

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Synopsis

This documentary showcases the beginnings of the "Yes Men," a parody group started by Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum, who initially set up a fake World Trade Organization website to spoof the hypocrisy of the group. Gradually, conferences and news media started to contact the two men thinking they were the actual WTO. Mike and Andy began impersonating members of the WTO at these events, using exaggerated and callous statements to satirize the actions of the organization.

Director: Dan Ollman, Sarah Price, Chris Smith
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Yes Men Films LLC
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 24, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 19, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $199.0K
Runtime: 1h 20m

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