Over the past few years, there’s been a spate of thought-provoking and morally jarring movies devoted to what is often referred to as “Black-Jewish relations.” These movies explore complicated issues like the manner in which fair-skinned Jews in the United States have, intentionally or not, become “white.” These movies home in on how minorities perform masculinity in a society that degrades and emasculates them. By juxtaposing white Jewish and non-Jewish Black characters, these movies raise all sorts of difficult questions about their respective places in American society.
Netflix’s recently released film “You People,” unfortunately, is not one of these movies. Like the rumored CGI-generated kiss between its star-crossed lovers (Jonah Hill and Lauren London), which allegedly stood in for a real one, a lot of what happens in the story world seems, well, sort of not entirely believable.
It’s hard to tell a story about Black-Jewish relations, when the Jews have no idea who they are.
This doesn’t mean the film’s all-star comedy ensemble fails to deliver a few very funny moments. There’s something arch about a Jewish character in “You People” who wonders how to make his recently purchased, modestly priced engagement ring look “Holocaust,” so as to make it more emotionally appealing to his beloved. Similarly, unleashing a comic titan like Eddie Murphy to opine on changing trends in fine natural hair will usually end well (and outrageously).
But unlike movies about Black-Jewish relations such as Spike Lee’s “BlacKKKlansman,” or the Safdie brothers’ “Uncut Gems,” “You People” lacks the courage of its convictions. It bids a retreat from its most disturbing — and interesting — observation about America’s racial divide. Along the way, it trashes white Jewish liberals, seemingly without knowing it.
In “You People,” Mo (played by a scene-stealing Sam Jay) is a podcaster with a knack for fusing wisdom and…
Read the full article here
