The Netflix romantic comedy “You People” is directed and co-written by Kenya Barris. It centres on the romance between black Muslim Amira Mohammed (Lauren London) and white Jewish male Ezra Cohen (Jonah Hill), as well as how their various families respond to it. Eddie Murphy and Nia Long also appear in the movie as Akbar and Fatima, Amira’s parents, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny as Shelley and Arnold, Ezra’s parents.
Los Angeles serves as the setting for the plot and serves as a unique character in this colourful and lovely tale. If you enjoyed the rom-com you just saw, here is a list of suggestions that could be more your style. The majority of these films, including “You People,” are available on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
A Simple Wedding (2018)
“A Simple Wedding,” directed by Sara Zandieh, centres on a romantic relationship that is not frequently shown in American movies. Iranian-American Los Angeles attorney Nousha Hassani practises law. Her parents want her to wed a conventional Persian young guy, but Alex, a bisexual white man, comes into her life. The way Nousha’s family views the relationship causes her to confront both her own and their prejudice. The similarities that make “You People” so amazing are there in “A Simple Wedding,” including meddling parents and unpleasant inquiries.
Guess Who (2005)
The movie “Guess Who,” which was released roughly 38 years after the original and is also included on this list, flips the narrative and follows a white boyfriend who goes to visit his African-American girlfriend’s parents. While Theresa (Zo Saldaa) and Simon (Ashton Kutcher) have been dating for some time, she has kept his race a secret from her family.
Theresa surprises her father by bringing Simon to her house to meet Percy (Bernie Mac) and Marilyn (Judith Scott). ‘Guess Who’ promotes diversity in America just like ‘You People’ and the majority of the other entries on this list. The late Bernie Mac’s portrayal of an overbearing father in “You People” is just as compelling as Eddie Murphy’s.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
Kenya Barris compared his movie to Stanley Kramer’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” in an interview, emphasising that his movie subverts the storyline of the earlier film. In the 1967 movie, Sidney Poitier plays Dr. John Wade Prentice, a 37-year-old African-American widower who marries Joanna Drayton, 23, after only knowing her for ten days. He follows her to her parents’ house in San Francisco after that. The character of Akbar played by Murphy, who has misgivings about his daughter’s fiancé, takes the place of Spencer Tracy’s Matt Drayton. Also present is Louis-Dreyfus’ Shelley, who longs for a black daughter-in-law.
Jungle Fever (1991)
Even though both movies examine the complexities of inter-racial relationships, the plot of Spike Lee’s masterpiece “Jungle Fever” is not ultimately uplifting like the one in “You People.” Angie Tucci, an Italian-American secretary he meets at work, and African-American architect Flipper Purify start an adulterous relationship.
Despite Flipper’s best efforts, his wife Drew, with whom he shares a daughter, and other individuals close to him learn about the relationship. He and Angie move in with his father when she kicks him out of their house and endure ongoing prejudice because of their interracial relationship.
Liberty Heights (1999)
The relationship between a white Jewish man and a black Muslim woman is a crucial part of the story in “Liberty Heights,” much like it was in “You People.” The semi-autobiographical picture was written and directed by Barry Levinson and is based on the director’s youth in 1950s Baltimore. The Kurtzmans, a Jewish family living in a Baltimore suburb, are the focus of the story.
At his school, one of the sons, Ben, falls in love with Sylvia, an African-American girl. But when her wealthy doctor father finds out, he forbids them from seeing one another. Ben’s father, who owns a burlesque theatre, is currently dealing with a financial crisis at work, while Trey, his older brother, is courting a strange blonde woman.
Loving (2016)
The 1960s drama “Loving,” written and directed by Jeff Nichols, is based on the real-life romance of Richard and Mildred Loving. It tells the story of Richard, a white construction worker, and Mildred, a black lady. They decide to be married after learning that she is expecting.
The couple flies to Washington, D.C., for their wedding because Virginia prohibits mixed marriages. After Richard begins constructing a home for Mildred, the neighbourhood police make their lives a living nightmare. Although “Loving” is a period film with a solemn tone rather than “You People,” it still has many of the same themes as the Kenya Barris-directed movie.
Mississippi Masala (1991)
Most moviegoers have heard of “Mississippi Masala,” but few have actually watched it. The film follows the tale of Mina (Sarita Choudhury), who moves to Greenwood, Mississippi, with her family, and is arguably Mira Nair’s most important work. Her family had to leave Uganda several years prior as a result of Idi Amin’s orders that resulted in the forced emigration of Asians from the nation.
Mina meets Demetrius (Denzel Washington), a nearby African American carpet cleaner, in the Greenhood, and a romance develops. The two are content and in love in their cocoon, just like in “You People” and the majority of the movies on this list. As their relatives and friends learn, trouble starts.
Our Family Wedding (2010)
Marcus Boyd (Lance Gross), a young African-American doctor, and Lucia Ramirez (America Ferrera), a Mexican-American English teacher who works with recent immigrants, are the subjects of the film “Our Family Wedding.” They want to get married and are deeply in love. As the couple tells their family about the news, the issue arises.
It turns out that the dads of Marcus and Lucia had met before and have a history of animosity. As the couple navigates the cultural barriers in their quest for love and happiness, things gradually get worse. Much of the difficulty they encounter in their relationship, like Ezra and Amira, is not internal but rather external. Fortunately, the protagonists in both movies change for the better as they gain knowledge and experience.
Something New (2006)
Kenya Sanaa Lathan plays the successful, career-driven African-American lady Denise McQueen. She has led a very regimented life as a result of being influenced by her mother’s rigid ideal of happiness and perfection. On a blind date, Kenya initially meets landscape architect Brian Kelly (Simon Baker), but she ends the date as soon as she learns that he is white. They cross paths again later, and she employs him to work on her messy backyard garden after being impressed by his efforts. A bond between the two of them grows as they spend more time together.
But after talking to her friends and family, Kenya starts to have second thoughts about their relationship’s prospects. The connection between Lathan and Baker is crucial to the story, and they deliver it wonderfully. Similar to “You People,” “Something New” highlights how prejudice from those around us invariably affects our lives while exploring the complications of interracial partnerships.
The Big Sick (2017)
The Big Sick follows Kumail Nanjiani, a Pakistani immigrant, as he dates Emily V. Gordon, a Caucasian woman, based on their relationship. His fiancée is unaware of this, and his family keeps sending him pictures of Pakistani ladies to choose from as his bride. She wants Kumail to meet her parents since she takes their relationship seriously.
But Kumail is forced to explain a planned marriage when Emily discovers the images and confronts him. He chooses to concentrate on his stand-up career after they break up. When Kumail finds out that Emily is suffering from an infection-induced medically-induced coma, everything abruptly changes. The Big Sick is an incredibly intimate movie about inter-racial relationships that lovers of “You People” will undoubtedly enjoy.
