My Personal Thoughts on "Get Out"

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?

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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)

*Source: (1.2,3)

Hope you enjoyed this post, please look out for more on the way... (author: @ezzy)

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