You People

Just a heads-up: I checked the ratings after watching the movie. The main reason I hit play immediately was Eddie Murphy — I'm a fan of his work anywhere. But after the first half-hour, I seriously doubted I’d finish it. The dialogues are totally of-the-moment, and while I'm sure this is how young (and likely promising) people in America talk today, it felt like listening to a bunch of idiots. When they started mixing in religious stuff, I almost turned it off out of frustration. Surprisingly, after that first half-hour, the movie evolved into a pseudo-racist, conversational romantic comedy. It wrapped all the nonsense in a meeting of two very different families — one Jewish, the other Muslim (and Black) — and had some bright moments. In the end, I finished it and pondered giving it three stars. But remembering the cringey dialogue, I snapped out of it and settled on two stars. This film feels like a snapshot of our times, and I’m nervous about what’s coming next. (01/30/2023)