A young black man witnesses strange behavior while visiting his Caucasian girlfriend’s family estate.
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford
Rated R for violence, bloody images and language including sexual references
Jordan Peele, known for the Comedy Central series “Key and Peele,” has been almost exclusively associated with comedy. However, Peele’s directorial debut “Get Out” tells a thrilling horror story that focuses primarily on race. While still containing elements of comedy, “Get Out” is truly a surreal experience that defies the genre norms. There is little, albeit some, comic relief in this film. This is not “Army of Darkness,” “Scream” or even “Drag Me to Hell.” The comedy found within “Get Out” is so seamlessly embedded into the narrative that any humor that comes out of the film feels entirely natural. While one character does provide some form of comic relief, “Get Out” is, at its core, a rather nightmarish take on racial tensions that does not allow much room to breathe until the credits roll.
After being together for five months, Chris, a black man, and Rose, a Caucasian woman, have decided to take the next step in their relationship – it’s time for Chris to meet Rose’s parents by spending a few days at their home. Chris is wary that Rose’s parents may not be too fond of Rose dating a black man though she assures him that her parents will not be concerned about his race. Upon arriving, nothing appears too out of the ordinary for Chris to handle. However, after Chris has a bizarre encounter with Rose’s mother, things begin to spiral out of control.
This complex film subtly hints at race. Quite honestly, it hits harder than a full-frontal take on skin color. Some may find the idea of a horror film tackling race a bit disturbing, especially given the macabre possibilities of what such a film could entail. However, “Get Out” is not overly in-your-face, thematically leaving much to the interpretation of the viewer.
“Get Out” will most likely go down as a classic. It should be noted that, for quite some time, it had a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100 percent. As for writing, the film currently has a 99 percent based on 148 positive reviews from critics and only one negative. The film hits all the right notes without coming across as forced or lazy. The acting is downright brilliant, something usually deemed second-tier for many horror films. The music also takes center stage and usually fits the mood of the scene just right.
Sure to make you think, “Get Out” will stay with you long after you see it, and some of the symbolism in the film will hit you even harder in retrospect. Even if you’re not a huge horror fan, there are plenty of genre-breaking elements in “Get Out” to appreciate. Peele is more likely to be remembered for this than for “Key and Peele,” which is quite an extraordinary thought, given that this film has only been in theaters for nearly a week, as compared to the show’s five seasons. “Get Out” is easily one of the best horror films of the decade, and whatever Peele decides to bring us next will hopefully be as phenomenal as this cinematic endeavor.