In Kenya Barris’ upcoming directorial debut, You People, Eddie Murphy and Nia Long star as protective parents to their daughter Lauren London who is engaged to be married to Jonah Hill.
If that plot sounds familiar to you, then you may recall a similar storyline from the 2005 film Guess Who, starring Bernie Mac, Zoe Saldana, and Ashton Kutcher. And if that storyline rings a bell, then you’re probably thinking about the OG 1967 film, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, starring Sidney Poitier.
The first-look trailer for Barris’ new film, which is set to examine “modern love and family dynamics amidst clashing cultures and societal expectations,” dropped on Monday to umm, well...mixed reviews (ha!).
“Eddie Murphy, Nia Long, and Jonah Hill in a movie and I have no interest in watching it....you see the problem?” wrote one Twitter user.
“Eddie Murphy and Nia Long as parents and...*squints* Lauren London as their daughter...Never change, Kenya Barris!,” said another.
“Despite what y’all saying about the writer, I am excited for ‘You People,’ It;s always a joy to see the legend Eddie Murphy so I’m optimistic for that above all,” another wrote online.
“I’m just happy that Lauren London will be on our screens again,” said another user.
Look, despite whatever folks may feel about Kenya Barris and his seemingly “Ish/Light Skin Cinematic Universe” he’s got going on with a myriad of his projects, I’ve just got to say that I’m happy that we get to see a very fresh and moisturized looking Eddie Murphy in a film again.
Yes, I know we saw him in Dolemite Is My Name and in Coming 2 America recently, but the fact is he (and Nia Long, if we’re being completely honest) are celebrated veterans in the game. So I’m just gonna take all the positive feelings I have for them, add it to the respect and admiration I have for Lauren London and pray to God this film in its entirety won’t be as cringe as it’s coming across.
You People is set to hit Netflix on Jan. 27.