Dread is a key trait of any successful horror film. That overwhelming fear or the presence of some unseen malice permeates the best of the genre. Get Out creates that tantalizingly uncomfortable atmosphere and brilliantly turns it on its head. The so-called “Other” takes on a new identity in the film, making a bold statement about racial relations in American Society. And it is a damn fun time as well.
Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) is visiting his girlfriend Rose’s (Allison Williams) parents home for the first time. Dean (Bradley Whitford) and Missy (Catherine Keener) Armitage are overly welcoming of their daughter’s African American boyfriend, creating some funny but uncomfortable moments. Chris dismisses it as their fumbling attempts to deal with the relationship, but increasingly disturbing behavior from the other people in the area, both black and white, begin to unnerve the young man. Soon, he discovers his visit has a much more sinister purpose than he could have ever imagined…
Don’t Go In The House
Writer/director Jordan Peele, best known for his hilarious comedy sketch show Key and Peele, makes an amazing debut film with Get Out. In many ways, the film is a traditional horror film (To cite other examples would be a bit of a spoiler). But Peele infuses the typical horror dread with scathing commentary on racism in today’s society.
Peele has said that Get Out is about a post-Obama America, where some believe that racism is over. And because it is over, we do not have to talk about race relations anymore, leaving society in a state of denial. Peele sticks Chris into the middle of a world like this, where even he is slightly uncomfortable acknowledging it (More on this later).
Chris’ initial dread about meeting his white girlfriend’s parents grows more and more as the secret horror just beneath the seemingly harmless condescending veneer of the Armitage family estate becomes more obvious. For much of the film, there is a familiar discomfort that you cannot pinpoint at first. The unsaid is the threat here, creating a realistic and more terrifying atmosphere.
The usual “Other” featured in many horror films is played with in Get Out as well. For Chris, the idealized society around him becomes the Other, the threatening presence that is utterly evil. Chris is not exactly the “Final Girl” in the classical sense of the word, but he is the innocent caught in the middle.
I am a person of color (Filipino American), but I know my experience with racism is very different from the one African Americans endure everyday. Get Out does an amazing thing: It personifies that genuine unease many African Americans face in society in general. To dismiss this film as racist or bias is a severe mistake.
The awesome social commentary means nothing if the film itself is not a compelling tale of horror, and Peele manages to create a shining example of the genre with his directorial debut. He ratchets up the tension from the first scene, slowly building up the sense of unease in masterful ways. Peele utilizes some impressive moments of subtle cinematic storytelling, using visual cues throughout the film.
Yes, there are some jump scares, but Peele uses them so rarely that they genuinely get you when they occur. There are no “cheap” scares here, every horrific moment is authentic. It is not The Exorcist level of horror, but more of an adrenaline rush type of horror. The kind that scares you, but draws a laugh afterwards.
The central mystery around the Armitage family is very well done. Get Out holds its secrets as close as possible so when the big reveal comes, it is actually shocking. The McGuffin is really weird and honestly downright crazy, but the film makes it work. There are hints to the reasoning behind the plan throughout the first act that oddly make sense. But it is not perfect though; it feels a little slow in getting to the pay off.
Peele is known for comedy and he injects some effective comedic moments. Some of them come very close to jarring you out of the film, but they dance that line just enough. Besides, some of the best horror movies need a comedic catharsis.
My Maaan!
Daniel Kaluuya’s Chris is a good protagonist, a genuinely nice guy put into a terrible situation. He is surrounded by people who do not acknowledge their discomfort with race relations, but the most surprising (And effective) thing about him is he is just as guilty. Chris is an easy going guy who generally shrugs off the casual racism he experiences at the Armitage Family estate. He even manages to keep his cool when Rose’s brother Jeremy (A wonderfully scummy Caleb Landry Jones) ignores the boundaries of personal space.
Kaluuya conveys his growing fear perfectly, never overplaying it. He starts as an easy going guy that all of us wish we had as a friend, and slowly transforms after realizing the idealized world that he knows is not what it seems. It is a believable transition due to Kaluuya’s natural performance.
Chris’s denial is a bit of a double edged sword though. It is completely believable that such a good man wants to shrug off the ignorance of the people around him. He comes off as a guy who wants to believe in the best in people. But there is a moment late in the film where Chris remains in denial even when something terrible is revealed. It comes off like horror movie convenience, despite his back story attempting to back his rash decisions.
Each of the Armitage family gets a moment to shine, providing some really creepy performances. Catherine Keener is possibly the creepiest of the two, using hypnosis frightening ways and keeping cool while doing so. Hers is also the most subtle of the performances, as Bradley Whitford seems to be having a ball playing the father. Allison Williams is also very good, with surprising layers to what could have been a throwaway character.
Lil Rey Howery’s Rod is a pleasant surprise as Chris’ best friend and proud T.S.A. officer. At first glance, he is a simple sidekick and the source of Get Out’s humor, but the character is surprisingly resourceful. Because he is the source of much of the humor, Rod straddles that line from entertaining to annoying, but he turns out to be a highlight. In many ways, he is the audience surrogate, the one who sees the danger that the other characters ignore.
Bright Future
Jordan Peele has created an outstanding blend of horror, comedy and social commentary with Get Out. He shows that he is an incredibly talented writer, making a crowd pleasing film out of serious subject matter without shorting either trait. With all due respect to the cast and crew of the film, Peele is the true star of this film.
SCORE: 9 OUT OF 10