'You People' Fails to Bring Consistent Laughs in the Kenya Barris/Jonah Hill Team-Up for Netflix

by Darian Scalamoni

    When thinking about the current releases in theaters and across streaming platforms in the current moviegoing landscape, I'm constantly asking, "Where are the laughs?" There used to be a massive push for modern comedy classics of the 2000s that stood out as pure comedies. Will Ferrell headlined a lot of them, whether it be Anchorman or Step Brothers. What about films like Superbad, Role Models, Knocked Up or The 40-Year-Old Virgin that helped make stars in Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Steve Carell...the list goes on. However, I feel like it's been a while since I laughed hard at a comedy. 

    You People first began development in June 2021 with black-Ish creator Kenya Barris attached to direct and co-write alongside the film's star, Jonah Hill. When this was first announced, I was excited to see the collaboration between two strong creative forces and then my excitement level rose with the cast additions that followed. Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Duchovny, Nia Long, Molly Gordon, Andrea Savage, Mike Epps. It was an all-star cast and one that was headlined by Hill, who has done some unique work over the last few years whether that be in front of the camera or behind it. 

    The film acts as a modern remake of the 1967 film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, where we see Jonah Hill as Ezra, a Jewish stockbroker who has bigger ambitions and dreams of growing out his podcast with his best friend which covers "the culture." Ezra comes from a very close-knit religious family that is constantly embarrassing or overbearing as he tries to avoid as many social interactions with them as he can. Lauren London stars as Amira, a young black stylist who is coming off a break-up who begins a relationship with Ezra propelling the story into motion before being introduced to her intense Black Nationalist and Muslim father, Akbar (played by Eddie Murphy). 

    As Ezra and Amira become closer in their relationship, one thing becomes overtly clear; neither one of them wants to introduce their partner to their family. Ezra's concerns are regarding his mother and father's tone-deaf approach to anyone who is not Jewish, to which Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny play to perfection within the film. Amira's concerns lie more with the fact that Akbar could never envision his daughter dating anyone who is not of Muslim descent, let alone a white Jewish man who talks about black culture on his podcast. 

    Barris took a very nuanced approach to speaking about race relations, African American hardship and uncomfortable cultural conversation within ABC's black-Ish over the years, however, this film does not shy away from being brash and in your face. While covering a number of concepts and topics within the sitcom, he does so in a clever, hilarious and insightful manner with just over 20-minutes to do so. Based on that fact, one would think that You People would be a hit for Barris with a stacked ensemble, juicy premise and writing alongside another talent such as Hill, unfortunately, the results don't add up. 

    There are moments of hilarity and heart throughout the film that feel genuine and emotional, but the film's problem is that they are not consistent enough with that approach. Often within You People, it feels that there are stitched together parts of a quilt that fit the pattern set forth by Barris, but other times, it's a rough Brillo pad scraping against the viewers skin, irritating via formulaic and at times, cringeworthy dialogue for scenes that go on for longer than they should. Considering the way Barris has handled seemingly sensitive topics before, it's disheartening to see the lackluster direction brought forth in his feature film directorial debut for Netflix. 

    Despite this, the film does have some redeeming qualities: Murphy does a terrific job as Amira's father Akbar, however, his wife and Amira's mother, Fatima (played by Nia Long), is wasted. Ducohvny stands out with some truly laugh out loud moments with perfect comic humor, with other standouts being Deon Cole's portrayal as Amira's cousin and "party planner" pushing for a Tron-themed wedding for the young couple, as well as Mike Epps, a consistent scene stealer perfectly appearing in a bit part as Akbar's brother. The film also features a great score and soundtrack with interworking's of Daniel Caesar and Jay-Z as standouts. 

    All in all, You People stands as a film with a good concept that does not come together in the way it should have. Hill's character is in your face, the humor is inconsistent, and many characters and plot points are wasted by dialogue that is at times, aggressively suggestive. Whether it be comparing the Holocaust to slavery, Akbar trying to get Ezra to prove himself on a basketball court or cringeworthy bachelor party scenes, You People aimed to be much more of a comedy gem such as an interracial Meet the Parents, but we ended up with a boring and trivialized satire that feels more like a bad sitcom. 

Overall Score: 5