You People
You People
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that You People is a mature comedy about a couple whose families disapprove of their romantic partner because they come from very different backgrounds. The film's humor is based largely on ethnic and racial stereotypes or preconceptions two families and communities (one Jewish, the other Black Muslim) have of each other. The film seems to suggest that some of these stereotypes have a basis in reality -- including an "angry Black man" and dark-skinned people being "difficult" -- but its ultimate message is to treat people as individuals, regardless of religion or ethnicity. Characters discuss racial equity, racism, slavery, the Holocaust, gentrification, appropriation, tokenism, and privilege. Black characters use the "N" word regularly. Other language includes "f--k," "s--t," "damn," "goddamn," "hell," "bitch," "ass," "a--hole," "p--sy," "d--k," "penis," "moron," "stupid," and "Jesus Christ." Adults drink alcohol and discuss people smoking and taking molly and cocaine. A bachelor party involves copious amounts of cocaine. Couples kiss and the two main characters spend the night together and discuss having sex. There's mention of doing "gay stuff," discussion of "getting p--sy," being "thirsty," doing "anal," "sucking it," "strapping," and licking a dancer's toes. A bachelor party involves dancers wearing revealing clothes (butt visible, but no other sensitive parts shown.)
What's the Story?
In YOU PEOPLE, Ezra (Jonah Hill) is a dissatisfied 30-something looking for true love who would like to leave his day job in finance for his passion, which is podcasting with bestie Mo (Sam Jay) about "the culture." When he meets Amira (Lauren London) accidentally one day, the two fall in love. But Amira's Black Muslim family, led by the humorless Akbar (Eddie Murphy) and mom Fatima (Nia Long), and Ezra's Jewish parents, Shelley (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Arnold (David Duchovny), aren't quite ready to blend their families. The attempts at assimilation go wrong from the start, prompting Ezra and Amira to reconsider their plans to wed.
Is It Any Good?
This LA-set romcom could've felt one-note around its concept of commenting on contemporary race relations, but the cast raises it up a notch with very funny results. You People -- cowritten by director Barris and star Hill -- tries to find the irony in all of its characters, from bee-pollen-drinking millennials in gentrified cafes to a converted Black Muslim's preciousness about a Louis Farrakhan-gifted kufi, to a discussion of "Holocaust-ing down" a small wedding ring to imbue it with more significance. Hill and London make a cute couple, but it's Murphy and Louis-Dreyfus, as the militant dad and overly-eager Jewish mom, who really drive the story.
How this film's humor lands could depend on the viewer's willingness to laugh at sensitive topics and stereotypes, and the plot might not have much draw beyond domestic audiences. But it offers plenty of dialogues and situations that comically and sometimes insightfully consider why race relations can be so tricky even when intentions are good -- and also when they're not. Not every scene hits its mark, and some characters feel superfluous (Duchovny and Long go underused; blink and you'll miss Rhea Perlman and Elliot Gould, among other cameos). With a pumping soundtrack and lots of local B-roll, the film also offers an affectionate rendering of contemporary Los Angeles.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about which of the characters overstep boundaries in You People. Which characters did you sympathize most and least with, and why?
How would you describe the mood of this film? What techniques did the filmmakers use in visuals and sound to define that mood?
What stereotypes does the movie feature? What does the movie say about stereotyping? Why can stereotypes be so damaging?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: January 27, 2023
- Cast: Jonah Hill, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
- Director: Kenya Barris
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship
- Run time: 118 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language throughout, some sexual material and drug content
- Last updated: January 31, 2023
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