Review: Get Out
Jordan Peele has continuously shown why he is one of the most talented artists of our generation. Everyone knows him from his famous comedy sketches with Keegan-Michael Key, “Key & Peele.” Now, Peele takes a crack at filmmaking, and as a result, we have a thought-provoking film called “Get Out.” The intelligently written script, and relevant storytelling results in a movie that appeals to the mainstream, and film critics alike.
Now that Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend, Rose (Alison Williams) have reached the meet-your-parents point of their relationship, Rose invites Chris to a weekend with her parents in the suburbs. At first, Chris believes that her parents’ peculiar behavior is because he is African American, but things take an unusual turn that many aren’t expecting.
Audiences need to realize that this is a thriller with a handful of comedic moments. Peele’s translation from comedy sketches to the big screen is basically natural for him which is surprising, but not surprising (if that makes sense). He’s a very talented guy, but I never thought that this film would receive the praise that it has. Currently, the film has a 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
The build up to the final 30 minutes was menacing. Peele utilizes his comedic prowess in a darker fashion, and the horror mixes in quite shockingly. I found myself laughing hysterically, and on the edge of my seat at the same time, which is probably the first time I’ve ever felt like that in a movie theater. I guess that’s why so many people enjoyed this. The mixed emotions gives us the different levels of entertainment.
Peele also has an exceptional grasp on what racism is like today, especially in the suburbs. Even though the white family in this movie never blatantly said racist comments, the subtle things they did implied that they didn’t understand Chris’s background or culture. They were looking at him as another creature rather than a human. I think that’s what makes this movie so relevant.
It seems like a weird film to get almost a 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but if you think about it, it makes sense because the plot is so unique. The cast was phenomenal with Brad Whitford bringing a comedically menacing performance. Atlanta standout Keith Stansfield presents his interesting character very well for the few scenes he’s in. Of course Williams and Kaluuya has their fantastic moments as well.
What I especially enjoyed about this film, was the twists and turns. At first, many will probably believe that “Get Out” won’t be anything original, until all of sudden the last hour takes a turn that I never expected. The build up to the final thirty minutes is phenomenal and intense in every form. The twists especially were quite shocking and actually quite hilarious (you’ll know what I mean when you see it).
Peele’s blatant attempt to display modern-day racism is genius, and he does it in a way that everyone will understand. The plot could have been a major mess, but Peele stuck to what he knew, and as a result, the film was fantastic.
