Two comedy icons from two different eras collide in this culture-clash rom-com that boasts admirable acting talents but condemns them all to generic genre fluff.
Ezra (Jonah Hill) meets Amira (Lauren London) after he mistakenly believes her to be his Uber driver, but after the initial awkwardness has passed, the pair hit it off well. So well in fact that it only takes Ezra six months to decide he wants to marry her. But before popping the question, he must convince Amira’s father Akbar (Eddie Murphy) that he is the right man for the job.
Akbar’s vetting process of Ezra is demonstrated in a series of what I could best describe as sitcom scenarios, which is even more profound with Ezra’s parents treatment of fiancée Amira. Shelley (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Arnold (David Duchovny) are your typical white Jewish parents. They’re practically a walking contradiction for any time they appear on screen and represent white people in the most tone-deaf way. Everything that Shelley says is inexplicably insensitive and when Arnold does speak up it usually fuels the fire of discussion, especially when expressing his love for Xzibit as often as he can (one of the few jokes which won me over).
Akbar is sadly no different. A Black Muslim who is very set in his ways and willingly forces Ezra through some awkward instances and encounters. Their relationship should have been where director/co-writer Kenya Barris’ (creator of Black-ish) comedy is best recognised, but the banter between the two is often constrained and comedically dry.
The story itself is by no means an elaborately fresh take on modern love or relationships, but it does present important themes and discussions, sadly to only douse them with odd character moments and quick-fire quips that make it feel agonisingly awkward and little with its laughs.
Ezra is one half of a podcast that he refers to as the discussion of “the culture”, which Akbar questions him on as to say, you don’t get to have that discussion. They’re are plenty of other scenarios in which this film throws at us which causes culture breakdowns and rarely any of them feel organic, or worst of all, funny.
The duo of Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy should be a hot ticket, but sadly the two rarely get the opportunity to really go head to head. What’s worse is the squandered supporting acts that can’t do much to lift this Netflix original off its feet. You People has its moments, but they are slim and easily forgotten by the time the movie rounds off.
Critical Clay 