YOU PEOPLE (2023)

A familiar storyline gets a modern update in the cringe comedy You People, a hilariously awkward film that pits Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Eddie Murphy against one another with spectacularly entertaining results.

Jonah Hill and Lauren London star as two lovers looking to take the next step, but first their families must meet in what becomes a clash of cultures, opinions, and lifestyles. Hill and director Kenya Barris penned the script, infusing it with nonstop humor and enough relatability to suck in any viewer. While the scenarios are clearly taken to the extreme, the delivery (mainly from Louis-Dreyfus and Murphy) is golden; their back and forth is some of the funniest writing in recent memory. Nic Long and David Duchovny are also part of the cast, though neither is given enough to work with. They sort of get lost in the background of every scene, taking a backseat to the comedic gold coming from their costars.

You People is not going to be for everyone as the humor comfortably exists in a vacuum of cringe and the film isn’t afraid to push the envelope with topics. One dinner scene in particular is likely familiar to many with political divides in their own families, let alone cultural differences between future in-laws. But it all works, a sort of exercise in laying it all on the table and recognizing that such differences are very real, very common, and maybe should be handled better than the characters in the film do. Barris’ direction is crisp and visually attractive from a setting point of view, but the infusion of strange transitions in an attempt to make it a more hip delivery ultimately detracts. The soundtrack though? Solid. Overall, this was a pleasant surprise.

You People is now streaming on Netflix.

Rating: 4/5