Los Angeles Times | Kevin Crust | September 24, 2004

"Changing the world one prank at a time" is the tagline for the documentary "The Yes Men," but the word "prank" doesn't really do justice to their efforts. Smart and amusing, the film is a record of activists Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno as they appeared at conferences around the world impersonating members of the World Trade Organization.

Co-directors Chris Smith ("American Job," "American Movie" and "Home Movie"), Dan Ollman and Sarah Price followed the Yes Men to Finland, Australia and Plattsburgh, N.Y., dressed in thrift-store suits and armed with PowerPoint presentations, aiming to subvert corporate globalization while having a good time. The impersonations began after Bichlbaum and Bonanno created a website mimicking and satirizing the one belonging to the real WTO. The fake site (www.gatt.org) was initially so convincing that the Yes Men started getting e-mailed questions on international trade (which they answered) and invitations to speak on behalf of the WTO at conferences (which they accepted).

Smith, Ollman and Price have hit on an intriguing twosome whose clever, grass-roots brand of activism promotes satire as a legitimate form of revolt.

NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for research and educational purposes.

Last Modified 24-Sep-04