YOU PEOPLE

US, 2022, 117 minutes, Colour.

Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sam Jay, Nia Long, Travis Bennett, David Duchovny, Molly Gordon, Deon Cole, Andrea Savage, Elliot Gould, Rhea Perlman, Mike Epps.

Directed by Kenya Barris.

The tone of the title – one group looking down on another, arrogance, prejudice, and, especially, racial prejudice.

The film was written by its star, Jonah Hill, along with writer-director of television comedy, Kenya Barris. As might be expected, there are comic situations, comic lines – but also a very American extroverted atmosphere, raucous at times, course at times, perhaps of putting to non--American audiences.

A number of bloggers, surprisingly, have linked the film to the 1967 Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner – a Hollywood classic of racial issues which emerged during the time of the Civil Rights movement, March on Washington, Martin Luther King… And this was 55 years before the production of this film. And, so, a number of bloggers have suggested that this is an issue from the past, and not topical in the US at the moment. However, in the years of Black Lives Matter, this perspective could be seriously questioned.

The film has a rather raucous opening, Jonah Hill’s Ezra talking on a pod cast with comedian Sam Jay’s Mo, riffing on politics and race relations. Then we move to Ezra’s family, Jewish, with all the jokes about extroverted Jewish behaviour, a mother who tries to be with it but makes faux pas all the time, racially condescending. And, she is played by Julia Louis Dreyfus. By contrast, David Duchovny as his father, is very laid-back, a few comments, playing the piano and trying to sing. At synagogue, there is a lot of chatter in the congregation, there are meals, various stereotypes, and guest appearances by Elliot Gould and Rhea Perlman. And Ezra’s sometimes cantankerous sister is lesbian.

Then the African-American family, surprising to find Eddie Murphy as the protective father, strong ideology, Muslim, changing his name to Akbar, contrasting with his ne’er-do-well brother played by Mike Epps. This is a middle-class quite affluent family, and the mother played more sympathetically by Nia Long. Their daughter, Amira (Lauren London) is successful in business.

By chance, Ezra and Amira meet, clash, apologies, dates, companionship, relationship, falling in love, prospect of marriage.

There are two marriage planners representing each culture. There is a hens’ party. There is an especially raucous party in Las Vegas with Akbar and his son accompanying Ezra, meeting his ultra-raucous friends, cocaine issues…

Particularly tense is the large wedding rehearsal scene, representatives of both sides, with Mo on the Jewish side, and an aggressive speech by Akbar. The couple then decide to break off the wedding.

The film concludes optimistically, Akbar relenting on having a frank talk with Ezra, Amira talking straight to Ezra’s mother, with the two parents then contriving to bring the couple together, apologies all round, and then a wedding ceremony.

1. The title, its tone, racism in the US, racial arrogance, racial prejudices?
2. The basic plot – and audiences remembering Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
3. The Californian setting, the Jewish community, homes, synagogue, socials, ceremonies? The African-American community? Middle-class, homes, socials? The visit to Las Vegas? The musical score?
4. The pod cast, the voice-over and comments, political, Obama? Mo, her personality, the repartee with Ezra? The later sequences of taping their podcasts, later the filming of a pod cast? Mo’s continual presence, friendship and support?
5. The introduction to Ezra, Jonah Hill and his presence, cowriting the screenplay? Age, family background, his relationship with his interfering mother, his laid father? Family? The Jewish background, in the synagogue, his behaviour, not listening to the prayer, discussions with his sister? And his mother? And the others listening? The aftermath of the ceremony? His work, the discussions with his boss, the boss and the comic remarks, Ezra not wanting to work there anymore, his finally walking out?
6. The introduction to Amira, the mixup with the move, her aggressive attitude, Ezra defensive, his being polite, sharing the car, the future meetings, eating together, the date, the collage of their other meetings, enjoying each other’s company, the sexual relationship, commitment?
7. The meetings with the parents? Amira, coming to Ezra’s home, meeting Shelley, her personality, outgoing, talking before she thought, ingrained attitudes, condescending, trying to be with it? His father, sitting quietly, playing the piano and singing? Ezra apologising for his parents?
8. Ezra meeting Amira’s parents, Akbar, Eddie Murphy, his relationship with his wife, their attitudes towards Ezra, questions, Akbar and disapproval, Amira embarrassed?
9. The scene of the proposal, the ring, Ezra asking Akbar’s permission, his reaction?
10. The marriage preparations, Jewish, African-American, the two marriage planners and the sequence of their conversations, questions, plans?
11. Ezra, his past, Amira transforming him, Amira, her mellowing, comfortable with Ezra? The details of preparation?
12. The rehearsal sequence, large, crowds, each side of the table, the speeches, Akbar nasty?
13. The hens’ party, raucously American? The stag party, going to Las Vegas, Akbar coming along, with his son, determined to undermine Ezra? Ezra’s friends, the loud discussion about cocaine and the dealer? Akbar’s disapproval?
14. Further discussions with Akbar, the severity of his attitude? Yet the appearance of his brother, carefree, drugs, criticising Akbar?
15. Akbar and the final discussion with Ezra, Akbar admitting his hostility?
16. Shelley and Amira’s mother, Shelley and her indiscreet outbursts?
17. Israel and his confronting his mother, home truths?
18. Ezra and Amira, the tension about the wedding, breaking it off, the months passing, Amira and her skills, the pitch for the buyers? Shelley and her meeting with Akbar, the plan, each apologising, and setting up the meeting? Coming together again, the bonding again?
19. The wedding ceremony, the exuberance?
20. Critics not favourable to the film, saying that this kind of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner prejudice and breaking of prejudice is long out of date?