Those who are not aware of the name Jordan Peele will be surprised to know that his directorial debut was with the smash hit Get Out. Some way to start off a sparkling new career, no doubt. From out of nowhere, this movie has quickly gained something of a cult following. Borrowing numerous familiar elements off of many horror movies preceding it and adding fresh, new and interesting ideas, Get Out has revived a stagnating genre that hopefully paves the way for many more of its ilk. An impressive debut that hits all the right spots and then some. Though is all the heaped-on critical acclaim completely justified?
This is one story where the less you know, the more you’ll enjoy it. Definitely do not let anybody give you any “plot appetisers” or it is almost guaranteed to ruin the experience for you. Therefore I will be as scant as possible about the movie details. An interracial couple, Chris and Rose (played by Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams respectively) go to visit her parents out in the country with the main intention of introducing him to them. Things appear fine at first, with Rose’s mother and father seeming to invite him with open arms into their family home. However, a few subtle comments pertaining to his ethnicity begin to surface in some unsettling ways. Rose’s father Dean (played by Bradley Whitford) is a successful neurosurgeon acts oddly and continues making uncomfortable remarks as does her mother, Missy (played by Catherine Keener). Even the servants of the household (who are all of black origin) conduct themselves in a very peculiar manner. Things only escalate from here to culminate in a chilling climax that will have you glued to the edge of your seat.
Now, it must be said. The acting from every cast member is spot on. The lead performances from Daniel and Allison whilst battling to figure out what in the hell is going on, are tense and emotionally draining for the audience. Which is exactly how it should be as this movie is a straight up horror thriller through and through. There are defined pieces of a puzzle which lead to the specific third act of the movie and grand finale. However we are instead fed drips and drabs of related information throughout. But what we "are" given leaves us constantly craving for more as the subject matter at hand is deep and thought-provoking from the outset and never lets up. If there is one thing this movie certainly cannot be accused of, it’s of being “boring”. The story is fast-paced and persistent, though without overloading the viewer’s mind with narrative bombardment. The logical flow of the story is pure perfection and any lingering enigmatic questions you may have (scratch that, “will” have) are answered in the most optimal way possible. Shocks and gasps are a natural occurrence at every turn during the closing stages of this movie.
Another interesting theme are the racial overtones within this movie. One pet peeve I have concerning the portraying of black people in popular culture is the stereotypical image of an aggressive nature. I personally find this demeaning and to the contrary of how things really are. It’s time we had an intelligently made movie that deals with these issues in a respectful fashion, treating every party involved with an realistic attention to detail and without the bloated satire. Get Out does this to a tee. My thinking is the worst types of racism are the "indirect referencial" ones. Where the individual in question has trouble ascertaining if what was said had any malice behind it or not. That, I feel, imparts a more true-to-life scenario and this movie pulls this particular aspect off incredibly well. In fact, this actually plays a huge part in the film working as well as it does as even the viewer themselves are left to ponder how to react to certain remarks made. I love the way the movie toys even with our very minds too.
If any criticisms are to be made, they are all very minor as best. I suppose some could say that the end becomes a little cliché in places. But again, that’s just being pedantic. The cast outdo themselves on all fronts and deliver an outstanding masterpiece of a movie. If this is what we have been dealt so far from the talented directorial skills of Mr. Jordan Peele, his future prospective projects are something I very much look forward to seeing. Get Out is a resounding success.
My Verdict: (9/10)
I think in this case fact, or current state of black research, maybe stranger than this fiction🤔
This is my first hearing of this film and director. After reading your thoughts/praise, I look forward to seeing the film even though horror is typically not a genre I enjoy. Looks like its available on Amazon video. Time to grab some popcorn... Thanks for sharing!
Check it out and let me know your thoughts, buddy. It's not your typical horror flick as it has many psychological elements thrown in for good measure too. :)
Just finished this film and it definitely is deserving of the praise! I recognized the brother from Tom Cruise's recent blockbuster American Made. Excellent performances from him and all of the cast. I don't have much to add to what you had to say, just that it was thoroughly enjoyable.
A film I thought of when watching this was Tusk. That film had a similar cadence and theme, but was not nearly as good or as fun to watch. :)
This was a great thriller, I enjoyed the whole movie, thought it was a good twist on traditional thrillers/horror films. Reminded me a bit of Black Mirror (Season 4 was just released and is amazing!). Thanks for this write-up. Keep up the great work.
Yes. "Black Mirror" is a class television production and I can see what you mean when you link the two together. Glad you enjoyed it. :)
I absolutely loved this movie! I found it refreshing and realistic from a reactions point of view. It is about time we had something fresh on our screens!
This is my favorite movie of 2017!I watched it maybe a couple of months ago, such a cool movie haven’t seen movies this good in a while!10 out of 10
I echo your sentiments exactly! Really loved this relative sleeper hit... :)
Great film with some really interesting and unique twists, although I found it let things down in the final scenes somewhat by descending into regular hack and slash territory. There's nothing wrong with that, but for a film that was clearly a labour of love it felt a little lazy.
I can see what you mean, but I feel the good mostly outweighed the bad. :)
What a nice review! Have yet to see the movie, but I think you sold me on it! Resteemed!
Thanks very much, buddy. :)
This movie was great, I saw it at a nice little local theatre, acting and suspense are fantastic, the twist definitely threw me. Just enjoyable if you like good movies. Completely agree 9/10, it wasn't perfect, but well worth a watch. I'm excited about other projects from J Peele
Many thanks for your agreement with my review. This director has started on an incredible high. Will be interesting to see where he goes from here. :)
Thanks for the recommendations for this movies. Sounds right up my alley. My dog tore his ACL over Christmas so he has to just chill out so I have been binge watching movies. This is definately a must watch and thanks for not giving away a whole lot about the movie. Happy New Year.
Lovely photo, i like it. thanks for sharing
The acting of the cast was unexpectedly good.
I was constantly asking myself WTF is going on lol.
Who would have thought that it will be so fascinating to watch.
I really enjoyed watching this film; agree with your verdict.
Sounds like a solid recommendation. I think I might dig up a few spoilers though. I've always found I enjoy movies a little more if I know something about the ending. I'm a little weird like that, but I'm not the only one who feels this way!
I'm glad you pointed this out. So many times I've watched a movie or TV show and thought, Geez. If I were black I'd be so pissed off right now. Why reniforce the stereotypes?