Get Out (2017) Directed by Jordan Peele
As soon as I saw the trailer for this movie, I really wanted to watch it. The whole premise was new and fresh. With all the issues going on these days revolving around race, the things this movie touches on can be a sensitive subject. When I noticed Jordan Peele was the director, I laughed because of his background in comedy such as Keanu and Key & Peele, and this film does have some comedic elements but the subject as a whole is approached seriously.
Since the movie is so new I am not going to spoil any plot points or the film as a whole, so I’ll just give a quick and general plot synopsis. A young interracial couple (black man, white woman) visit Rose the girlfriend’s parents. While there the boyfriend Chris feels uneasy about the parents and their friends, sensing something is wrong he tries to look further into what is going on. Rose’s mother is a therapist that specializes in hypnosis to treat her patients. Feeling increasingly uneasy and discovering unsettling things about his girlfriend and her family, Chris realizes he must escape before it is too late.
There are many, many things that this movie does so well. The first is the filming, the angles and random shots are great. They do an incredible job of setting up scenes and showing detail to the world that the movie is set in. Each angle and camera movement is so smooth and impressive that I had a hard time looking away even in scenes that were less dramatic or energetic. Secondly the acting is top notch. Daniel Kaluuya as Chris does an incredible job, he shows a wide range of emotions that is somewhat lacking in the majority of horror/thriller movies. You grow to care for Chris and you feel his anxiety and fear as the movie goes on. Allison Williams is nearly as great as Rose. She comes off as innocent and loving, but as the film progresses you start questioning your original thoughts on her and its acted so delicately that the transition is smooth. Lil Rey Howery plays Chris’s friend Rod that he calls throughout the movie and I couldn’t help but like him. He is so funny and blunt, reminds me of a few of my friends. Lastly the element I enjoyed was the dialogue. It was handled in the way that Tarantino does dialogue. Simple, every day conversations that may not really be important to the overall plot but are entertaining and give the film that much more impact. You can see the closeness of Chris and Rose’s relationship from the way that they interact with each other verbally and physically. The way that Chris and Rod talk shows how important their friendship is to them and how they have a high level of trust.
With so many bad horror movies being spewed out lately, Get Out has so many good things that these don’t. While it may be more of a thriller than a true horror film, it does have its fair amount of scares. Having strong acting, atmosphere, dialogue and realistic premise, Get Out deserves all the recognition and hype that it receives. Gore hounds may not enjoy the film, since there is no blood aside from a nose bleed. Fans of film in general will truly enjoy this movie. I hope Jordan Peele makes another horror/thriller again, and I patiently await it. I would give Get Out a A-. While I loved the acting, camera work and dialogue, there were a couple parts that were kind of slow, but the payoff was great at the end. I suggest you watch this movie, it was a fun time.
