[dropcap]J[/dropcap]ordan Peele’s cinematic close-to-perfection curve ball certainly deserves all the praise that it has been receiving. The unconventional psychological thriller, Get Out, is not your classic nail-biter in too many ways to count.
For one, the film was beautifully led by Daniel Kaluuya, a familiar face for fans of the hit program Black Mirror. Much like his performance in the television series, Kaluuya continues to steal the spotlight.
You don’t have to be a movie expert to know that black faces in cinemas are all too uncommon. Black characters in horror films are used for one purpose and one purpose only and that is to be used as the first poor soul to be offed. Get Out breaks this tiring overused stereotype by ensuring that the unapologetically black Kaluuya is the face you remember most long after the end credits roll.
Director Jordan Peele, who proves to be a mystery himself, tells the perhaps cliche story of a young black man meeting his white partner’s family, but there’s nothing traditional about Peele’s rendition of the black experience when in the presence of a plethora of white people. What’s so special about the director’s script, is that he brings every black person’s unspoken nightmares to life through vivid on-screen portrayals.
” From hypnosis to silent auctions, this film has everything that makes a psychological thriller tick, but it does so without shaking this underlying theme of how uneasy the mentality of white people can actually be from those on the outside. “
If you’re black, then you’ve undoubtedly had those moments when you find yourself surrounded by too many white people and your imagination begins running wild with endless possibilities. This nervousness around white people is not something that the black community is coy about. Kaluuya mentions this apprehension himself in the film. What Peele does is bring to life the source of this anxiety by going to the weirdest place possible. From hypnosis to silent auctions, this film has everything that makes a psychological thriller tick, but it does so without shaking this underlying theme of how uneasy the mentality of white people can actually be from those on the outside.
Peele doesn’t shy away from subtle racism in this film, he actually kind of tackles it head on by capitalizing on the type of racism that we see all too often in this new age of those who merely trick themselves into believing that they have escaped the racist mentality of their forefathers. This is the type of racism that is slyly shared over cold glasses of lemonade. The type of racism that you would miss if you don’t listen carefully. This is what carries the majority of the film. It reminds the audience that racism is still very much alive and thriving, it just doesn’t carry itself in dramatic mobs and brutal lynchings. Instead, Peele urges that racism dresses in tailored suits and shined dress shoes. It’s your neighbor or your girlfriend’s parents. Of course, Peele executes this message via extreme means and haunting cinematography, but the message is still there, hiding in the shadows.
Each actor did an amazing job of conveying this intriguing story in a way that, even with all its abnormal complexities, you still feel like you can relate to it. The disturbing performances of both Georgina (Betty Gabriel) and Walter (Marcus Henderson), who essentially play the brainwashed help, and the comic relief of a fresh face to the comedy scene, Rod (Lil Rel Howery), perfectly balance each other. There’s not a single performance that did not perfectly coinside with the other, providing a functioning two hours worth of hypnotizing screenplay.
At the end of the day, there’s really nothing to hate about the film. Sure, the ending can be considered a bit abrupt and there are a few parts that lack meaning and are purely executed for the sake of the overall tense feel of the movie, but even these scenes are better than most short films. The film steps into uncharted territory, and it does so with such ease and poise that you can’t help but anticipate what’s next for Jordan Peele. Get Out is a social commentary that has come at exactly the right time, the film is equipped with powerful underlying messages that are sure to make white people uncomfortable- and that’s when you know you have a gem on your hands.
