I believe that the intention of the film You People was to be both a rom-com and a discussion about race relations. To balance the heaviness of modern racism with the lightness of laughter and love. This is about as tall of an order as it gets, and I don’t think anyone could execute it perfectly. So above all, I found it admirable that writers Kenya Barris and Jonah Hill had the guts to try.
Though this movie was focused on the relationship between a young interracial couple (Lauren London and Jonah Hill), I felt it was more a movie about the relationship between parents-in-law of a different race who treat you like an outsider. This was an interesting direction to take. The rapid-speed of the meet cute-to-wedding period made the romantic chemistry hard to believe at times, but I felt that didn’t matter because the parents-in-law relationships were so impactful to witness.
I am sure that many viewers were wondering, “Can a serious conversation about racism be had in a rom com?” The thing is, I wouldn’t be so quick to classify this movie in that genre. In the beginning, yes, it has a very typical and likable rom-com style. The wedding planning and meeting the parents comes quickly, though– and that’s where the tone of the movie changes. It was a risk on the writers’ part, but one that I admired. The genre morphs further and further into a sort-of exposure therapy for racist remarks and treatment, until it all cracks. And that is the most passionate part of the movie, not the romance.
Ezra (Jonah Hill) is the comedic relief for the many many times when his family says things to Amira (Lauren London) or her family that are just so unnecessarily racially-driven, and often flat-out racist. When his white family speaks to her as a black person rather than just as a person. Almost every line out of his mother’s mouth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) must have come from a googled-list of microaggressions, and she really does an amazing job of being so terrible. Watching the pain in Ezra’s eyes as his mother manages to say the worst possible things that a well-meaning white person could is hilarious, but we know that it’s ultimately upsetting because it is not hilarious for Amira. It alienates her.
Watching Ezra try way too hard to not be like his family while interacting with Amira’s parents is funny, cringey, and unfortunate. He definitely puts his foot in his mouth a lot. Amira’s father (Eddie Murphy) is extremely harsh on him, which is another hilarious but ultimately not-ok bit. I think this was a new role for Eddie Murphy– though he was still funny it was in an intense way with much more serious undertones. It’s difficult for the viewer to decipher when he is being a Black man untrusting of and upset at white people, and when he is crossing the line of plain cruelty. And yet, that was one of the most intriguing parts of the movie for me.
Amira’s relationship with her mother-in-law involves a lot less comedy than the men’s does. Women not being allowed to be funny is not a new thing, however, so I won’t even comment on that. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character tries much harder to seem like she is accepting of a person of a different race wanting to marry her child. She does things like watch documentaries about hairstyling for Black women and say that she thinks everyone should kneel for the national anthem. She is the perfect depiction of the good-intentioned white woman who is actually just racist and can’t see it. I know that when I was watching her, at least a dozen women I know came to mind who reminded me of her. Though this relationship got less screen time than their male counterparts did, it was very precise in its portrayal.
The moment I referred to earlier, when after a painful leadup everything cracks, happens in the form of Ezra and Amira each confronting their difficult parent-in-law with a powerful speech on the night of the rehearsal dinner. To the man who didn’t give him a break for even a second this whole time, Ezra said, “I will never, ever, ever know what it’s like to be a Black person in this country. But I do know what an asshole is.” And to the woman who could not figure out how to treat her like a real person, Amira said, “At the end of the day, I will never just be Amira to you. I’ll be Amira, the Black token daughter-in law. And that’s ignorant.” I found both of these lines very powerful, very effective, and a clear shot of the heart of this movie.
In the end, the rom com structure comes back and a happy ending ensues. They went straight from calling out modern society for continuing to be weaved with so much racism, to everyone making up and enjoying a sweet and fun wedding. This was not the ending I felt was most genuine, but I guess the writers wanted to give the viewers a reward for sitting through all those uncomfortable and upsetting conversations. I can understand that decision. I can’t say I didn’t shed a tear seeing the parents-in-law decide to value their children finding love over all else, and watching a Black woman and a white man kiss on the altar. There are really only a handful of interracial love stories in American film history, so I believe that adding to that collection is above all a good thing. It is important representation for young viewers, especially when they witness all the complications their generation will have to remedy. I can say that You People, no matter what genre it may fall under, was undeniably brave.
Emma Tremont 