by Before I begin this review I’m going to start with a disclaimer; I really don’t think an entertainment blog is a good place to discuss politics or social issues. I’m not going to be doing that here. I say this because today I’m writing about Jordan Peele’s film Get Out which delves in racism as a central theme. The film gained a lot of attention when it was released because it’s quite unique as far as horror films go. It became one of the most well received genre offerings in quite a while. It won the academy award for best original screenplay after all, and was nominated in several other categories to boot. From the advertisements I saw when it was released I was honestly a bit confused as to what it was about, and that curiosity stuck with me. I waited for it to be released on home video before watching because I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I see how it won so many awards; Get Out is unique, well written, has great direction, and is all around fantastic.
Chris Washington is an African American photographer who is dating a white woman named Rose Armitage. The film begins as the two are preparing for a trip so that she can introduce him to her parents. He is understandably on edge about the situation for two reasons; Rose has never dated a black man before, and his race wasn’t aforementioned to them. Regardless, the two set out but the trip quickly takes a turn when the car strikes a deer en route. The police officer that responds to the scene is apprehensive about Chris and, despite Rose being the driver, demands to see his drivers license. Chris is used to the routine but Rose turns on the policeman questioning his motives. He lets the two go without running his information, and they finally arrive at her parents house.
Things turn awkward quickly when the parents react awkwardly to Chris trying to impress him, but things seem a little off. For starters, all of the hired help on their property is black. Secondly Rose’s parents react awkwardly and make some rather weird comments. Things only become worse when Rose’s brother Jeremy tries to play fight Chris at the dinner table while commenting on how physically strong he must be. Later on our protagonist witnesses one of the hired help sprinting through the outlying woods, and another patrolling the house. Rose’s mom Missy just happens to be a hypnotherapist and puts Chris under with the excuse that she’s going to cure him if his nicotine addiction. The end result is nightmarish and Chris truly believes it was just a dream when he wakes up.
Things become even more awkward the next day as the Armitage family throws a party full of white guests who relentlessly comment on Chris’ race. He sees a familiar face in one of the guests; a black man he’s sure he has met before on the arm of a much older white woman. He tries to secretly snap a photo of the man but forgets about his flash. The end result sends this guest into a frenzy as he screams at Chris to get out before being taken away. Not all is as it seems and Chris intends to get to the bottom of things.Get Out is certainly not typical fare for a horror film, or even for a thriller at that. It covers some very touchy and uncomfortable topics and attempts to put you in the shoes of the protagonist. The tension really draws you in from start to finish. Part of this is because Daniel Kaluuya’s portrayal of Chris. The man is great at giving subtle glances around the room and gentle twitches. At times his performance is downright uncomfortable to watch. Just watching him react to the stranger scenes makes them all the more powerful. Additionally the help, specifically the characters of Walter and Regina, are masterfully performed in such a way that let’s you know something isn’t quite right in the story. I couldn’t be happier with the actors and performances they gave.
If there’s one complaint I have it’s that I felt the film was misrepresented in a lot of the advertising material. I was made to believe this film was about ghosts or a curse or some sort. Maybe I’m remembering it incorrectly, but I don’t know where else I would have gotten this idea. This is not the case, and instead the film’s conclusion is extremely different from just about anything you might suspect. It borders on cheesy and over the top to be honest, but it treads that line gracefully. What helps it is the fact that Get Out has a sense of humor about how ridiculous it can be. One of Chris’ friends corresponds with him throughout the story and gives us an outside perspective. He says the things we expect a character to think given the circumstances and provides great comic relief to the otherwise somber story. It all rounds out and makes the film more watchable and entertaining while keeping you on the edge of your seat.
It’s not the film I expected it to be. I was expecting Get Out to be a supernatural thriller with racism as a backdrop. What I got instead is much better than I could have hoped for. Get Out is one of the most unique horror films I have had the pleasure of viewing, and it’s truly gripping with some fantastic performances, amazing atmosphere, and a twist I could never have suspected in a million years. It’s hard to believe that this was made by the same Jordan Peele that brought us the racist zombies skit on his TV show.
Pros
- Excellent story
- Terrific pace
- Great twists
- Fun characters
Cons
- Some of the motivations are a little unclear
