Dreadful bore-fest.
Directed by Kenya Barris in his cinematic debut after writing numerous episodes of TV shows such as Grown-ish, Black-ish and Mixed-ish, I really wanted to like and enjoy this slice of Los Angeles life but I didn’t and more importantly, I simply didn’t care long before the end of a repetitive tale of consumer porn, “Kulture” (sic), race, racism and a clash of generational cultures and overt, clumsy insensitivities. Ironically, I didn’t see a bad or lazy performance from any of the marquee headliners. I just tuned out from a dreadful film.
“Ezra” (Jonah Hill) is a 35 year old financial broker and progressive cultural podcaster with his best friend “Mo” (Sam Jay). Being a soul destroyed broker is “not my dream job” and whilst he may not be the much derided “White Barry White” he is Jewish and not exactly the match for a “Fred Hampton was murdered” hoodie wearing Akbar (Eddie Murphy) who refuses to believe this “white boy” is anywhere near good enough or indeed culturally appropriate for his Muslim raised daughter “Amira” (Lauren London).
Six months later and after the brightest and most enjoyable part of the film, the trouble for the lovebirds has only just begun.
Your undoubted stars of a dreary show are the father and daughter big screen team of Eddie Murphy and Lauren London. Murphy is fantastic (as ever) and although this is the first time I’ve seen London act I see a very bright future ahead indeed. Nia Long ably supports screen husband Murphy well with the other intended parents ahead of an ill fated, fractious wedding, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny, good in cameos if stereotypically awkward and out of touch roles.
If the film had finished with our two young lovers beneath the Capitol Records building with ten minutes to go then it would have been a passable way of spending a couple of cinematic hours. Instead, we have a final ten minutes that completely upends the last 90 or so minutes of repeatedly reinforcing how horrible we all are and how we always judge others by their skin tone rather than the colour of their human character.
You People is the worst film I’ve seen this year so far and it even eclipses the dreadfully awful White Noise.
Alas.
Thanks for reading. Just for larks as always, and always a human reaction rather than spoilers galore. My three most recently published film articles are linked below or there’s well over 200 blog articles (with 400+ individual film reviews) within my archives from which to choose:
“Triangle of Sadness” (2022)
“I’m not obsessed with money!”medium.com
“Mindcage” (2022)
This Se7en rip off is a deadly sin.medium.com
“Sicario” (2015)
My Denis Villeneuve odyssey is now complete.medium.com