You People movie review: A well-written timely comedy

We have Netflix releasing its first big movie of 2023 in You People. Does the movie live up to the amazing trailer? Is it worth checking out when it releases on Friday? Let’s dive in.

You People follows Ezra and Amira, a couple with two diverse backgrounds who realize there are plenty of obstacles in their way when it’s time to merge their families. The movie was directed by Kenya Barris, who co-wrote the film with Jonah Hill, who also stars in the film alongside Lauren London, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Nia Long.

We meet Ezra, who hosts a podcast for fun but has a normal job by day. He sadly is lonely and looking for love but yet can’t find it. A funny back and-forth between Ezra and his podcast co-host Mo makes him realize he needs to step up his game. Shortly after that, we meet Amira, who is ditching a guy and off to her job. Just like in the trailer, we see Ezra get in a Uber, but it is the wrong car, and Amira snaps. One thing leads to another, and the duo are heading on a date together.

"Whether you like or not, we go together now."

Next, we meet Akbar, Amira’s father, who is one of those ol’ heads who doesn’t love how life has changed the way it has. Later, we see Amira and Ezra on their date, and after a funny exchange, the duo hit it off. Now, we get a montage of the duo going on multiple dates, including seeing a charming scene of them walking down the street together with matching shoes on.

Six months later, Ezra takes Amira to meet his parents, and it goes about as terribly as he thought it would. While the entire dinner goes wild, Ezra tells his mom that he plans to ask Amira to marry him. Then, after a conversation with Mo, she makes him understand he has to meet with her parents to ask them for permission.

You People is a balanced comedy with scene stealing actors

The cat-and-mouse game that Akbar plays with Ezra is the never-ending journey we explore throughout the movie. The pairing of Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy is perfect, they have incredible chemistry that bounces so well off of each other, even in the timid moments between their two characters. I love Murphy, and I can’t wait to see more and more out of him in the coming years with him back making movies again. Personally, I must shout out Lauren London, who was brilliant in the role of Amira. She had a huge job of being the emotional weight of this film and knocked it out of the park.

Honestly, the writing between Kenya Barris and Jonah Hill is hilarious but also very timely with the tones that they tackle within this script. Many lessons could be learned from the vast majority of this country if they sat down and watched this film. The movie was funny when it needed to be funny and serious when it needed to be serious, it was a fine-tuned script.

While the supporting cast is all great, two people in this movie stole the scenes they were in, Deon Cole and Mike Epps. Both of these guys came in, knew the assignment, and had me laughing. The car scene towards the movie’s end between Epps and Murphy was hilarious and makes me want a movie with both of these actors ASAP.

Overall, You People is a well-written, timely love story that I loved quite a bit. The ensemble cast is a delight, the music kicks ass, and you will laugh (and cry) quite a bit while watching. You don’t want to miss this one.

You People hits Netflix on Jan. 27, 2023.