(Credits: Thibault Penin)

When was the last time you said yes to something just because it made you happy? Not because it was practical. Not because it was planned. But just because it felt right in the moment. When was the last time you booked that spa, bought that unnecessary gadget, or let yourself do something purely for fun? If it has been a while, then Netflix has just the thing to jog that memory.

Yes Day is a feel-good, low-stakes film that does not want anything from you. No deep analysis. No complex subplots. Just a joyful idea: What if, for one day, parents had to say yes to everything their kids asked? The result? Absolute mayhem and, somehow, absolute heart.

Led by Jennifer Garner, this Netflix film brings a sincere kind of energy. She plays Allison, a former adventurer-turned-strict parent who realises she has become the “no” machine of the family. In an effort to shake things up and maybe reconnect with her children, she agrees to a “Yes Day.” For 24 hours, the kids run the show, and she cannot say no to anything (within reason, of course). Think car washes with the windows open. Think massive food fights. Think roller coasters, ice cream, and rules flying out the window.

It is silly in the best way. That brand of silly that makes you remember what it felt like to be a kid when the wildest idea felt possible and joy was measured in minutes, not milestones.

And then there is Jenna Ortega. Long before Wednesday turned her into a Gen Z icon, she played Katie, the teenage daughter with big ideas and bigger dreams. Watching her in Yes Day now feels like discovering a prequel to her fame, a reminder of her range, even when the stakes are light and the setting is PG.

But make no mistake, the film belongs to Jennifer Garner. She is radiant in this role. Physically comedic, emotionally present, and entirely believable as a mom who just wants to get it right. Her mix of warmth and exasperation is exactly what grounds the film. You believe her breakdowns, and you root for her breakthroughs. And more importantly, you enjoy watching her let go.

This Netflix film itself is adapted from a children’s book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld, and that origin shows. It keeps the energy moving. The pacing is quick, the scenes feel like mini-adventures, and the stakes are just high enough to make things interesting without ever tipping into stressful. It is designed to make you smile, maybe even laugh out loud, and it does exactly that. You are not going to walk away from this film with life lessons carved in stone, but you might walk away with a little more softness. A little more permission to loosen the reins.

Because that is the thing about Yes Day, beneath the whipped cream explosions and backyard shenanigans, it sneaks in a question most of us avoid: Are you really having any fun? Have you made room for joy for your family, your friends, or even just yourself?

It is the kind of movie that ends and makes you want to call someone. Maybe to plan something silly. Maybe to finally say yes to that thing you have been pushing off. It reminds you that spontaneity is not childish. It is necessary.

So before you fall into another overplanned weekend, this might be the Netflix reset you need. Yes Day is not trying to win awards. It is trying to give you 90 minutes of lightness, the cinematic equivalent of taking off your shoes and jumping in a fountain.