Although we may be past the heyday of studio sex comedies, and comedies in general when it comes to Hollywood output, the indie film world is picking up the slack and next month will bring a highly-acclaimed one. Stranger Things star Natalia Dyer is breaking out of the family-friendly Netflix mold for Yes, God, Yes. Directed by Karen Maine (co-writer of Obvious Child), the semi-autobiographical debut explores sexuality for one girl growing up in the Midwest. Following a premiere at last year’s SXSW, where it won a Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble, the first full trailer has arrived.
John Fink said in our SXSW review, “Similar to last year’s inclusive comedy Blockers–which proved teen girls deserve their own kind of high school sex comedy like the boys have enjoyed for years–Yes, God, Yes continues to evolve the genre while remaining completely grounded in its complexities and contradictions. Obvious Child co-writer Karen Maine’s directorial debut is a witty comedy with nearly no false beats, trading crude comedy for smart insight without forgoing laughs.”
See the trailer and poster below.
In the Midwest in the early 00s, sixteen-year-old Alice (Natalia Dyer) has always been a good Catholic girl. But when an AOL chat turns racy, she discovers masturbation and becomes guilt-ridden. Seeking redemption, she attends a mysterious religious retreat to try and suppress her urges, but it isn’t easy, especially after a cute boy (Wolfgang Novogratz) starts flirting with her.
Alice’s sense of shame is spiraling when she uncovers a shocking truth about the retreat’s most devout. Desperate and confused, she flees and meets an unlikely ally (Susan Blackwell) who offers an alternative view of what it means to be good. For the first time, Alice realizes she can decide for herself what to believe and finally gets the release she needs.
Yes, God, Yes opens in Virtual Cinemas and Drive-ins on July 24, followed by Digital and VOD releases on July 28.