"Yes, God, Yes" is an American 11-minute live action short film from earlier this year (2017), so still a relatively new and fresh work. Writer and director is Karen Maine, who is mostly known for writing "Obvious Child", the short and long movie. This one we have here is her first directorial effort. It is basically about a teenage girl exploring her sexuality for the first time. Problem is she is obviously growing up in a strictly religious house and visiting a catholic school. But her doubts about what God may be thinking about masturbation for example are quickly put aside when she makes a must unusual discovery in her teacher's room. I thought this was a pretty good watch. Of course the film profits a lot from the sexual innuendo, especially early on, but it's more than that. I still would only say it can be taken seriously as a comedy, not really as a drama. But I liked the ending because pleasuring oneself to something that means something to you, not necessarily something that is very sexual, made the film look real and authentic. It was a good film with strong writing and acting and I would not be surprised if lead actress Natalia Dyer will have a career for years to come. Go check it out.
6 Reviews
An interesting topic
jas-468581 April 2018
Karen Maine has written an interesting story with themes of religion, the internet, and sex. For the 11 minute run time, the short film never bores you and never wastes time. It is surprisingly well acted and visually funny at times. However, bland direction and and a boring set of colours hold it from being a great short film
Yes, God, Yes
henry8-329 November 2020
Dyer stars as a devout catholic teen who is having difficulty reconciling her newly found sexual desires with the catholic doctrine taught in her school. To help she goes on a 4 days catholic retreat with school mates and teachers where things become clearer.
Charming and not without wit, this takes some wonderful swipes at catholic hypocrisy without ramming it down your throat or requiring Dyer's character to doubt her belief in God. A good performance by Dyer, this is frighteningly believable yet enjoyable and a good worthwhile watch for all teenagers going through similar problems.
Charming and not without wit, this takes some wonderful swipes at catholic hypocrisy without ramming it down your throat or requiring Dyer's character to doubt her belief in God. A good performance by Dyer, this is frighteningly believable yet enjoyable and a good worthwhile watch for all teenagers going through similar problems.
Short, sharp, and funny
I_Ailurophile2 April 2021
God and religion meets The Internet and sex. Immovable object, unstoppable force.
Natalia Dyer lights up the screen in this short film that is wistfully familiar to anyone that's faced similar conflicts while growing up. I didn't attend a Catholic school, but I was raised Catholic, and - nostalgia isn't quite the right word, but this definitely brings some memories to call. The insular childhood. The staunch, archaic, and frankly harmful views of sex and social relationships. Self-discovery. VHS tapes.
In just 11 short minutes, writer and director Karen Maine says so much about the innocent ponderings that take us from curiosity to learning about our bodies; about the conflict between healthy, natural human behavior and the strict codes of conduct that are forced on us on societal and personal levels; and, notably, about the hypocrisy within the Catholic Church. All the while, we can't help but laugh: The whole scenario is both familiar and ridiculous, with those qualities feeding off one another in a loop.
The color in the picture seems a bit washed out, but perhaps that's intentional to aid the sense of nostalgia that's definitely built into 'Yes, god, yes.' Lines are duly delivered by the small cast while the camera lingers coyly on points of Alice's burgeoning interest. There's no mistaking that Dyer is centered here, and it's a joy to watch her very believably express the shock, confusion, uncertainty, and bliss that fills the short's duration. In 2021 she's already becoming a star, but one can only hope that there's much more ahead for her as an actress.
It's not at all difficult to find 'Yes, god, yes' online, and it's a quick, fun, amusing watch, if not a bit "not safe for work." Other films have explored this topic, certainly, but not necessarily with such a simple punch. Recommended view!
Natalia Dyer lights up the screen in this short film that is wistfully familiar to anyone that's faced similar conflicts while growing up. I didn't attend a Catholic school, but I was raised Catholic, and - nostalgia isn't quite the right word, but this definitely brings some memories to call. The insular childhood. The staunch, archaic, and frankly harmful views of sex and social relationships. Self-discovery. VHS tapes.
In just 11 short minutes, writer and director Karen Maine says so much about the innocent ponderings that take us from curiosity to learning about our bodies; about the conflict between healthy, natural human behavior and the strict codes of conduct that are forced on us on societal and personal levels; and, notably, about the hypocrisy within the Catholic Church. All the while, we can't help but laugh: The whole scenario is both familiar and ridiculous, with those qualities feeding off one another in a loop.
The color in the picture seems a bit washed out, but perhaps that's intentional to aid the sense of nostalgia that's definitely built into 'Yes, god, yes.' Lines are duly delivered by the small cast while the camera lingers coyly on points of Alice's burgeoning interest. There's no mistaking that Dyer is centered here, and it's a joy to watch her very believably express the shock, confusion, uncertainty, and bliss that fills the short's duration. In 2021 she's already becoming a star, but one can only hope that there's much more ahead for her as an actress.
It's not at all difficult to find 'Yes, god, yes' online, and it's a quick, fun, amusing watch, if not a bit "not safe for work." Other films have explored this topic, certainly, but not necessarily with such a simple punch. Recommended view!
Mindblown
jashan-5870326 August 2020
Absolutely underrated
jessicaguanzonlapena9 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This film is TOO GOOD for that 6.3 rating. Natalia Dyer's performance is amazing. She was innocent, sweet, a little naughty and hilarious all at the same time. That bar scene was a revelation for someone like me who was also once Catholic and raised with the austerity of it all. The depiction of that life is pretty realistic. This film speaks to me in so many ways; because I was once a young girl who felt shame about my sexuality, because I know the hypocrisy of the Catholic church, because everyone has their secrets, because it hurts to spread lies and be lied about. This film deserves a lot more than it's been given credit for.
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