Yes, God, Yes (2017)

Yes, God, Yes is a coming-of-age gem that captures the messy, funny, and deeply human collision between adolescent desire and religious guilt with an honesty that feels almost disarming. Natalia Dyer anchors the film with a performance so charming and natural you don’t just watch Alice’s confusion—you remember your own, every awkward thought and half-formed question included. The tone is light on its feet and frequently hilarious, but it’s also sensitive, treating faith and sexuality not as punchlines but as real forces shaping a teenager’s inner life. If you’re looking for a warm, relatable story that laughs with its heroine rather than at her, this one’s an easy recommendation—though viewers who prefer their dramas broad or their satire sharper may find it gentler than expected.

Yes, God, Yes wants to be a candid, coming-of-age look at sexual awakening inside a strict Catholic environment, and it does capture that awkward, funny, painfully real teen confusion at times. But the feature-length version can feel stretched thin, with a slow, predictable progression and supporting characters who don’t get enough depth to make the world feel fully lived-in. If you’re sensitive to stories that paint religion in a mostly negative light, you may find it more accusatory than nuanced. Still, if you’re in the mood for a small, intimate character piece with a strong central performance and a few sharp observations, it may be worth your time—just don’t expect a big payoff in the ending.