Review of Yes, God, Yes (2020) by Flipje — 11 Jun 2022

There are some flaws here in this coming-of-age tale yet the acting from Dyer, who carries the film with her innocent and emoting eyes, manages to make the movie sweetly meaningful. Alice (Dyer) is your every-women-as-a-teenager, though her struggle here is with her sexuality and the Catholic high school world she is navigating.

We already see her attempts at being good don't quite make the grade (pun obviously intended), especially when a rumour is circulating regarding her and a fellow classmate. Straddling the line between accepted friend and awkward outcast, Alice and her school chums go on a retreat to learn about themselves and their relationship to Christ.

Cue some of the tropes, that Catholic girls secretly are more sexual active than they let on or that the individuals espousing 'thou shall not touch thyself' gospel are guilty of the same thing, I didn't mind the cliches because at the heart of the film, you find Alice longing to feel connected to others.

You relate to her. She is curious, jealous, emotionally mixed up but honest. She likes a guy and makes a fool of herself. When she makes a bold move, his religious upbringing pushes her off. She gets frustrated.

Disappointed, disillusioned. I loved the scene where she slips off from the bland cheery campfire singing and finds herself at a roadside bar and just plain walks in and orders a drink. I am sure most of us would have felt the way she felt.

In some sense, her knocking back the wine cooler (early 2000s, hence the beverage) is the audience knocking back the drink. By the end, there are no real great revelations. Life moves on and the audience is assured that Alice will leave her heavy Catholic guilt and her Midwestern life for either the West or East Coast.

But Dyer, honestly, she makes this movie. The less she says, the more you see in her eyes which in some scenes spoke modest but compelling volumes. I was impressed. (It also reminded me of a fantastic Norwegian film, not so well know: 'Turn Me On, Dammit'.

The film deals with similar themes such as living in tight communities and the need to explore an awakening sexuality. Very similar. Also an excellent and equally short film.