Well, we’ve made it into April, and so far, the year has held up fairly well in regards to theatrical releases. “Split” restored the faith of many in M. Night Shyamalan, “Beauty and the Beast” has been a box office success, and “Logan” was the sendoff for Wolverine that fans —and Hugh Jackman— deserved. However, despite these films, we hadn’t quite yet been shown a movie in 2017 that shifted the paradigm; entertaining and prosperous as they may be, there is something to be said of the certain shock value that comes with a movie that no one expected to be quite so damn good.
This is a review for “Get Out”.
While this isn’t Jordan Peele’s breakout into feature length filmmaking, it is his directorial debut. Peele, who is best known for his sketch comedy partnership with Keegan-Michael Key, has also appeared in a number of films and television shows, and wrote last year’s buddy comedy, “Keanu”, in which he starred alongside Key. Directing an original script, Jordan Peele has expertly diverted the tracks of comedy down the rails of horror. A trapped thriller that subtly screams social issues at the audience, the movie is an eloquently balanced blend of fright, funny, and commentary, not only taking the audience for a spin on its amazing story, but shedding some exemplifying light on the subject of race.
The film begins on a startling note as we witness the kidnapping of a young black man in the middle of a night fallen suburb (which becomes important later). We then meet Chris Washington (played by Daniel Kaluuya), preparing for a weekend getaway with his girlfriend of four months, Rose Armitage (Allison Williams). The two plan to be staying at the home of Rose’s parents, but unforeseen events occur when the Armitage family announces an annual get-together with many of their friends.
The way the movie deals with race throughout can fluctuate from very contextual, to very subtle. Chris is hesitant about meeting Rose’s parents due to his race; upon meeting them, the Armitage family is almost overbearingly interested in Chris because of this. Rose’s father, Dean, mentions he’d have voted for Obama a third time if he could’ve, just to prove how not-racist he and his family are. This is where the movie can take an interesting and essential approach to how we address race— while racism and stereotypes and neo-nazis are clear antagonists to civil justice, “Get Out” never addresses any of them. Instead, it reflects the effects that can be caused by people who are so un-racist, they do more harm than good. If liking Obama doesn’t prove this, you’ll agree when you see the party guests obsessing over the strength, speed, and skill of black people, and by the third act, it is clear that the message of the film has little to do with racism, and more to do with the way race is handled.
The narrative structure is an interesting one. It wholly feels like it was written by Jordan Peele, and I mean that as a compliment. As a man who’s created his own unique style of comedy, it is his finesse with pacing and his ability to raise stakes that enables him to tell a horror story that is both thought-provoking and brilliantly revelatory from start to finish. “Get Out” feels like a Key and Peele skit, from the way it builds suspense to the way it announces information, Jordan Peele’s script has proven that great comedy can amount to the most inventive horror.
I’ve never considered myself an enthusiast of the horror genre. I’m a big fan of “Silence of the Lambs” of course, and movies like “American Psycho” and “Donnie Darko” have always resonated with me, if you could even compare the two to the genre. I’m not a horror guy by any means, to the point where I wasn’t sure I could tell the difference between good horror and bad. Last year’s “Green Room” had me questioning my ability to watch and assess the genre, because for some reason, everyone thinks it was a good movie. That had me thinking I didn’t know how to appreciate horror. Thankfully, Jordan Peele has proven me wrong/right. I do appreciate horror. As long as it’s compelling, you’ve got me. Not only is “Get Out” compelling, it’s a staunch, resolute discussion of race in contemporary society that asks little of its audience, but gives so much in return— with a few jump scares along the way.
