Name: You People
Director: Kenya Barris
Released: 2023-01-27T13:30:00

In You People, Ezra and Amira find the chances of their potential marriage dwindling after their parents meet each other and cultures clash. The comedy film is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

Ezra (Jonah Hill) and Amira (Lauren London) have never found someone who truly understands them until they encounter each other. They’re very much in love and want to get married. There’s just one small issue; their families.

While Ezra’s parents, Shelley (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Arnold (David Duchovny), are white Jews, Amira’s parents, Akbar (Eddie Murphy) and Fatima (Nia Long), are Black Muslims. When they meet, it inevitably leads to a clash of cultures.

Amira’s parents still have an inherent dislike of white people due to the past slavery, while Ezra’s parents feel Jews have had their fair share of struggle.

Despite their best efforts to get along, Ezra is unable to win over Akbar, while Shelley continuously offends Amira without even realising it.

Eventually, the situation deteriorates to the point where even the wedding comes into question. Will Ezra and Amira overcome this hurdle?

Performances

Jonah Hill flexes his acting chops in a role that is tailor-made for him. He excels as the fumbling yet likeable Ezra and entertains throughout. Lauren London matches him step for step as his love interest.

Eddie Murphy steals the show in his every scene and when he joins Hill, it’s hard to look anywhere else. Their scenes together make this film.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is also convincing as the well-meaning but inadvertently racist mother who hurts Amira without even realising it.

Positives

Although You People has tons of stereotypical and racist jokes, all of it is satirical in nature and that’s not hard to miss. This is a genuine commentary that doesn’t just play it for laughs but attempts to shed light on the issues.

It gives a lot of insight into different cultures to outsiders. Even stereotypes come from somewhere, and the film highlights what some sections of society feel about other cultures.

Ezra and Amira’s relationship is heart-warming and you cannot stop yourself from rooting for them right from their first meeting.

The characters are developed as the narrative moves forward and there’s an authentic feeling of growth by the end and not just a forced change of heart.

The film also shows a modern take as Ezra decides to pursue a full-time podcasting career. It’s refreshing to see these career choices slowly making their way to mainstream entertainment.

Negatives

Overall, the narrative feels fairly straightforward and predictable. It definitely had more potential to explore the dynamic between different cultures without a run-of-the-mill plot and conclusion.

Verdict

You People is a thoroughly entertaining comedy easy to breeze through. Coupled with the witty commentary and exploration of cultural differences, this is a must-watch.