Women Talking and You People – Movie Reviews

Sarah Polley is a filmmaker who has always interested me. Her healing documentary about her family is one of my favorite movies of hers until now. The film adaptation of Miriam Toews’ 2018 novel of the same name, Women Talking, tells the story of real-life events that occurred at the Manitoba Colony, an isolated Mennonite community in Bolivia. The movie features an all-star cast including Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, and Frances McDormand, who also takes on the role of producer.

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Women Talking was as gorgeously told and devastating as I expected, maybe even more so. Let’s start with the “negative.” I had heard plenty about this film’s color grading and how it took a lot of people out of the immersion a bit, being heavy-handed in its presentation. And while it may seem dark at first and a little hard to see, once you adjust, you don’t even register the choice anymore as a choice but rather the actual setting of their world. To me, it actually allowed me to see through these characters’ eyes. It’s a chamber piece, and it really feels like it. It can feel small or slow, but again, it’s these quiet moments that really draw you in to what the characters have to say.

The performances are unbelievable. I couldn’t even pin down my favorite actor from this if I wanted to. Claire Foy has a great monologue at one point that made me go “wow, she’s definitely my favorite here.” But then Jessie Buckley has an amazing moment later in the film and had me questioning that. Plus, the film has an excellent supporting cast with Rooney Mara, Ben Whishaw, Judith Ivey, and everyone else.

The film is beautifully written. Again, it’s a chamber piece, so there is plenty of excellent dialogue that really elevates the drama; you really feel the pain of the women. It’s edited to really put you in their place and feel their pain. It can be quite stirring, even disturbing, achieving this goal of remorse. Hildur Guonadottir’s score is light but moving, much like the film itself. This may not appeal to all audiences, but I think those who will like it will love it. Some character arcs are not fully fleshed out, but this makes them feel like real people. It feels like a story about real struggles that’s particularly poignant today.

‘Women Talking’ Rating – 4/5

You People is a romantic comedy, jointly written and directed by Kenya Barris and Jonah Hill. It boasts an impressive cast, including Eddie Murphy, Jonah Hill, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lauren London, Sam Jay, Molly Gordon, Mike Epps, Nia Long, Deon Cole, Rhea Perlman, and David Duchovny.

Jonah Hill always has fairly interesting projects, especially when he works on the creative side. His films always feel like he’s trying to heal some part of himself, whether it’s his inner child or perhaps even his ego. And I think “You People” continues that path in a pretty great way. He’s incredibly funny here, and he really bares his charming personality. The whole cast is amazing. I loved Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Lauren London.

I would say the marketing does this film a little dirty, because while yes, a lot of the film does focus on Hill’s relationship with Eddie Murphy, I’d say it’s really about his relationship with Lauren London. It deals with how our racial and identity barriers are still affecting us today in our personal relationships. This is clearly demonstrated through the comedy between the two families, but mainly through the central relationship of the film, which is between Hill and London. The chemistry between them is excellent, and the commentary is insightful. The way the two characters meet and fall in love may feel unnatural, but it is cute in the way the film executes it.

The movie tends to feel extremely awkward, which may turn off some potential viewers looking for an escapist Hill film. However, I would encourage them to stick with it. The awkward tone comes from the serious topics being discussed in the film. There are a lot of side characters who are introduced for their one unique trait and are not as well-explored (Hill and London both have siblings in the film who feel very one-dimensional). A lot of it works if the audience is willing to suspend their disbelief.

The writing is overall fairly good, but the direction led You People on Netflix to feel a bit preachy and it slightly overstayed its welcome. The message is definitely there, it has plenty of levity, and I really enjoyed the cast.

‘You People’ Rating – 3/5

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