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Comedy

VHYes (2020): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

VHYes (2020) movie poster

VHYes is a 2020 comedy directed by Jack Henry Robbins, starring Mason McNulty as Ralph, Kerri Kenney and Thomas Lennon. It runs 1 hour 12 minutes and earned $47,037 worldwide. Critics gave it 79% on Rotten Tomatoes and 52 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.9/10.

IMDb rating
5.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes
79%
worldwide gross
$47K
Echo Score
65
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VHYes (2020) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 12m (72 min)
Genre
Comedy
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is VHYes About?

The premise of VHYes without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A twelve-year-old boy's attempt to record his parents’ wedding on a VHS tape results in a bizarre collection of recordings, including home shopping programs, censored adult content, and true-crime stories. The unexpected mix blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, offering a nostalgic look back at a time when VHS tapes held a unique place in entertainment. It's a humorous exploration of how these recordings shaped perceptions and memories.

VHYes Themes & Keywords

· 15 tags
  • wedding
  • reference to manuel noriega
  • tv news
  • video camera
  • security system
  • shot repeatedly
  • shot to death
  • reference to dennis rodman
  • clone
  • reference to robert mapplethorpe
  • year 1987
  • marionette
+3 more
  • sorority house
  • scene during end credit
  • whoopee cushion
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Cast & crew

VHYes Cast & Characters

Mason McNulty leads the cast as Ralph, with Kerri Kenney as Joan and Thomas Lennon as Tony V. Directed by Jack Henry Robbins; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Jack Henry Robbins

More films directed by Jack Henry Robbins: VHYes, Alex, Painting with Joan and Hot Winter: A Film by Dick Pierre.

Full filmography
Ratings

VHYes Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave VHYes 79% on Rotten Tomatoes and 52 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.9/10. Our Echo Score gives it 65/100, strongest in art & craft (75) and weakest in rewatch factor (50).

65 /100

VHYes Echo Score Breakdown

VHYes offers a distinctive VHS-inspired collage that showcases originality and a nostalgic visual style, but its uneven pacing and scattershot structure hamper emotional investment and replay value. Reviewers praised the editing’s channel-surfing assembly and the immersive found-footage aesthetic, while noting that the narrative often fizzles and characters remain underdeveloped. The film’s sensory charm and inventive approach generate intermittent engagement, yet its disjointed flow and limited emotional depth leave a mixed net impression.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 75

    Art & Craft shines through its deliberate VHS pastiche and inventive editing approach. Critics highlighted the scrambled channel-surfing assembly and immersive found-footage style, praising the authentic 80s visual palette. However, some observed that the production design can feel unsophisticated and scattershot, limiting cohesion. Overall, the film’s aesthetic appeal remains a key asset despite occasional unevenness.

  • Character & Emotion 65

    When it comes to character & emotion, the film features committed deadpan performances that lend moments of sincerity. Observers noted the chemistry among cast members and improvisational highlights, especially during comedic exchanges. Yet the narrative offers limited character development and emotional depth, leaving key figures feeling underexplored. Overall, the acting strengths are offset by a lack of sustained resonance.

  • Story & Flow 55

    Regarding story & flow, VHYes presents an original concept but suffers from uneven pacing and coherence. Reviewers appreciated its atypical mode of storytelling and playful collage structure, yet many found the plot scattershot and overextended despite its brief runtime. The frequent shifts interrupt narrative engagement, causing the comedic momentum to wane. In sum, the story’s creativity is undermined by disjointed execution.

  • Sensory Experience 70

    In terms of sensory experience, VHYes delivers a distinctive soundtrack and sound design that evoke 80s public access television. Its visual style employs an understated color palette and authentic tracking glitches to reinforce nostalgia. While the audiovisual cohesion enhances immersion, the deliberately crude production qualities occasionally feel gimmicky. Overall, the sensory elements provide hypnotic charm with some textural roughness.

  • Rewatch Factor 50

    When it comes to rewatch factor, VHYes evokes nostalgia but offers limited lasting appeal. Audiences may revisit for its inventive VHS aesthetic and isolated comedic highlights, yet the scattershot structure and subdued character arcs reduce incentives for repeat viewings. While the film’s originality draws initial interest, its inconsistent momentum and shallow depth emerge more clearly on subsequent watches.

Plot

VHYes Plot Summary

What happens in VHYes from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1987, a young boy named Ralph receives a VHS camcorder as a Christmas present from his parents. Eager to capture the essence of his surroundings, Ralph immerses himself in filming neighborhood adventures with his best friend, creating makeshift music videos, and particularly recording late-night television to uncover the mysterious programming that airs after bedtime. Unbeknownst to Ralph, the blank VHS tape he has selected turns out to be his parents’ wedding video. The film playfully parodies the flavor of 1980s late-night television, with a special focus on infomercials, public access shows, and even more risqué content.

Full summary

The whole story of VHYes, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

VHYes Box Office

VHYes grossed $47,037 worldwide.

2020 box office

Worldwide gross

$47K

US & Canada
$47K
Videos

VHYes Trailers & Videos

The trailer of VHYes.

VHYES - Official Trailer - Oscilloscope Laboratories HD
Quiz

How Well Do You Know VHYes?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What gift does Ralph receive that changes his perception of reality?

Seen VHYes?

FAQ

VHYes FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of VHYes, each answered in a sentence.

How long is VHYes?

VHYes runs 1 hour 12 minutes (72 minutes).

When was VHYes released?

VHYes was released on January 12, 2020.

Who directed VHYes?

VHYes was directed by Jack Henry Robbins.

More films by Jack Henry Robbins

Who is in the cast of VHYes?

VHYes stars Mason McNulty as Ralph, Kerri Kenney as Joan and Thomas Lennon as Tony V, among 10 credited actors.

How much did VHYes make at the box office?

VHYes grossed $47,037 worldwide.

How is VHYes rated?

VHYes has 5.9/10 on IMDb, 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, 52 on Metacritic and 59% on TMDB.

Does VHYes have a post-credit scene?

No. VHYes has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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