You People

You People, now streaming on Netflix, reminded me a lot of long ago yesteryear's Meet the Parents because, well...it's essentially that story of meeting the parents. 

It's a hard to ignore film, with Jonah Hill both acting and writing, featuring Eddie Murphy (who feels like he maybe does one film a year), Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and others. The comedic talents are high, plus it's Murphy in a more, shall we say, "normal" role than many in recent years. 

All that talent results in a watch that's disappointing overall, but still a fun, albeit highly predictable time. I desperately wish it had been funnier, and more consistently funny, as many jokes don't feel like they land (hard to tell when it's just you on your couch) and certain segments with obvious ad-libbing can range from dumb to some of the film's funniest bits. 

If anything, it's a shame the film feels so cookie-cutter in the rom-com genre, but it's hard to say if it had the right intentions in the first place. Given its modern-day setting and inner conflict of a white Jewish male marrying a black woman, You People's preachiness is a double edged sword. It provides some of the film's best laughs - and at times worthwhile insights - but at others was so blatantly on the nose it felt like I was listening to a podcast...and I don't mean just in the segments about the podcast Hill's character co-hosts. 

Still, this was one where I recognize my disappointment because I expected more (perhaps I shouldn't have?) but walked away with a semi-funny romantic comedy that had some big A-list comedic talent and a worthwhile attempt at trying to say something different, even if it didn't feel that totally came across.  

Rapid Rath's Review Score | 6.5/10