You People Movie Review – culture clashes, societal expectations

You People 2023

You People stars Jonah Hill and Lauren London as Ezra and Amira, a multiracial couple seeking the approval of their parents, namely Ezra’s Jewish mother, Shelley, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Amira’s black father, Akbar, played by Eddie Murphy. Unfortunately for the millennial couple, their parents have different views and beliefs that cause significant disruption and disruption in the loving couple’s relationship.

You People Movie Review

After saying goodbye to You People, there were certainly some significant positives that immediately stood out, namely the juxtaposition between the parents and how they handle their children’s relationship. It is clear from the start that both parents love their children but are approaching this relationship in the wrong way. Akbar and Shelley carry a lot of baggage; However, the film does a great job of emphasizing that just because parents hold on to their luggage doesn’t mean they should force it on their children.

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One problem the film might run into is that it doesn’t hold your hand as you delve into these cultures, as the film’s opening scenes take place in entirely Jewish and Black locations. You people will make innuendos and jokes that really only people in those communities or those familiar with them would really appreciate. Thankfully, as the film progresses and the two cultures clash, the film offers the audience an olive branch as Ezra, Akbar, Amira, and Shelley all share their unique viewpoints.

Another problem the film can unfortunately run into is that this film is very blunt about the positive and negative points of view of all four main characters. While many people may find this refreshing, in this day and age when many people online seem unwilling to hear the other side of the argument, it could lead to a polarized reaction to you.

It’s important to go into the film with an open mind and listen to the arguments of the characters in the film before jumping to conclusions as to why the film is doing something right or wrong. This is best illustrated by the podcast that Hill’s Ezra hosts with his best friend and confidante, Mo. There are several scenes throughout the podcast film where Ezra and Mo respectfully offer their opinions on various topics, resulting in some of the best-executed scenes in the entire film.

Although the film touches on many interesting themes, the film is also a comedy at its core, offering viewers plenty of snarky jokes and intentionally frightening moments. One scene in particular that really struck me was a moment where two scenes are juxtaposed, Akbar driving Ezra and Shelley driving Amira. Anyone can relate to the feeling of being trapped in a closed room while being forced to have incredibly uncomfortable conversations. That reliability factor lets the chills seep through the screen in buckets with some hilarious dialogue, especially when it comes to Ezra trying to relate to Akbar.

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You People Movie Cast Review

When it comes to the cast of You People, the film undoubtedly has a wealth of comedy heavyweights from Hill to Murphy to Dreyfus, with brief appearances from others like Mike Epps, Rhea Perlman and Anthony Anderson, among others. However, the real standout performance in the film undoubtedly comes from comedian Sam Jays Mo, Ezra’s best friend and podcast partner. Mo is an incredible friend of Ezra’s and has many fantastic comedic moments when they speak on her podcast. However, there is one particular scene in the podcast where she has a line comparing the relationship between white and black people to relationships that is one of the most poignant and intriguing lines I’ve ever heard. It’s a scene that will no doubt stay with me for the foreseeable future.

As for the other appearances in the film, Jonah Hill does his usual thing, and to be fair he can be pretty good at it, which he certainly is here. He’s always been fantastic at portraying a quirky but likeable guy who’s excellent at giving one-liners when he gets into awkward situations, and the situations he finds himself in here sure are terrifying, especially when he’s involved Murphy’s Akbar is together. If you’ve seen any of Hill’s other films, you probably have a good idea as to whether or not the comedy in this film will work for you, especially considering how he co-wrote the script with the film’s director, Kenya Barris , wrote .

Amira, played by Lauren London, on the other hand, is certainly not as prolific as the other actors. Still, she does a fantastic job of holding her own, especially when she goes toe-to-toe with a variety of comedy legends. There’s a lot of social and political baggage forced on her character, like Akbar’s racial trauma and Shelley’s white guilt. London does an excellent job of expressing her character’s opposing point of view while still being personable and not “preachy”. It was a lot to ask of the actress as she had to balance both the funny and serious aspects of the film, and London proved she was more than up to the task.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is excellent as always, with the actress’s personable nature giving the character of Ezra’s mother an important helping hand. Shelley could have been an absolutely horrible person if portrayed by a lesser actress, especially with the comments she makes towards Amira. Still, the way Dreyfus delivers her lines makes her character appear well-intentioned in her problematic way. Now, don’t get me wrong, Dreyfus’ character still has many flaws and shouldn’t be excused for their actions; However, it’s worth crediting the actress for being able to create a much more nuanced and interesting character with the way she delivers her lines.

The final cast member worth mentioning is, of course, the film’s biggest star, Eddie Murphy, who unfortunately is probably the film’s most disappointing character. That’s not to say Murphy’s Akbar doesn’t have his moments, like the car scene mentioned above. Still, there’s nothing about his performance that stands out and immediately makes you think this was a character the comedy legend was meant to be portrayed. It’s surprising, obviously given that it’s Eddie Murphy who plays the character, but Akbar lands a bit more on the bland side, with the script actually doing most of the character’s heavy lifting.

At the end of the day, You People is a fun ride with a bunch of fun moments and characters. If you like previous Jonah Hill movies or are interested in seeing a movie full of scathing commentary hidden behind some great comedic moments, then this is definitely the movie for you.

You People is currently showing in select theaters, with the film releasing on Netflix on Friday January 27, 2023.