You People Movie Review: Who knows this may be true but I like to imagine that Jonah Hill may have revisited his own very funny 22 Jump Street, and laughed over and over with the film's most hilarious scene - when Schmidt meets the father of his African-American girlfriend and finds out that he is his boss, Captain Dickson. The comically awkward lunch table conversation that followed must have regaled Hill so much again that he decided to make a whole-ass movie out of it. So thus, I believe, was born You People, now streaming on Netflix, that is directed by Kenya Barris and co-written and co-produced by Hill. You People: Cast Supports Jonah Hill’s Decision To Not Promote or Do Press for His Films Due to the Toll on His Mental Health.

Hill once again plays a white boy, this time named Ezra dating an African-American lady, Amira (Lauren London). To further complicate their interracial dating equation, Ezra is Jewish and Amira is Muslim. There is also a political light thrown in at their relationship what with BLM, white cop atrocities and forced social alignments keep coming up.

But don't let any of those fool you into thinking this romcom is breaking any new grounds, like Guess Who's Coming to Dinner did way back in 1967. You People feels like Meet The Parents meets Meet The Fockers set in 2023, with less gross jokes but more cringe situations. In Indian terms, I would like to call You People as 2 States without Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy's songs, and with a way more victim-playing from both sides. This is most exemplified when Ezra's folks meets Amira's parents, and they both try to debate whose community were the bigger victims in the history - what was more terrible - Holocaust or slavery? Well, if you find that discussion remotely funny, then You People might be somewhat amusing for you. I am not even getting into the sociopolitical vibes of the film, but You People struggles to charm you with its content, that despite its social relevance, the romcom becomes a mere one-time watch stuff, which is criminal for the kind of cast this movie has. Less said about the rushed and super-predictable finale, the better.

Watch the Trailer of You People:

Like with Meet the Parents, and even the Fockers, it is the actors who brighten up the proceedings and make even the lamest of scenes get an illusion of feeling so good for a few seconds and then you can hardly remember what happened when the bubble bursts. Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy bring enough stingy chemistry in their Stiller-De Niro equation, and I really like the scene where Ezra stands up to his future-in-law. Lauren London is absolutely charming as the level-headed Amira. Julia Louis-Dreyfus  is winsome everytime she appears as the Jewish mother trying way too hard to appropriate her daughter-in-law. David Duchovny's dry humour gets you every time, despite his limited screentime. Nia Long, sadly, gets less scope in comparison as Amira's mother.

Final Thoughts

You People is entertaining in small doses due to the enjoyable performances of the actors. Otherwise this romcom finds itself difficult to separate itself from the other (and may I say, better) comedies that tackled similar themes, and turns itself into a one-time watch that seeps out of your memory once you are done with it. Well, one thing these films teach us, be it 2 States or You People, is you want to marry your sweetheart, keep your families away from the dining table before marriage! You People is streaming on Netflix.

Rating:2.5

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2023 07:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).