Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele.
Screenplay: Jordan Peele.
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Alison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, LilRel Howery, Marcus Henderson, Betty Gabriel, Lakeith Stanfield, Stephen Root, Richard Herd, Erika Alexander, Ashley LeConte Campbell.
“A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste”
Better known for his TV comedy sketches with Keegan-Michael Key or most recently the action-comedy, Keanu, Jordan Peele makes his directorial debut with a genre you wouldn’t ordinarily expect from him. It isn’t exactly the horror that it’s been marketed or advertised as – instead leaning more to psychological thriller – but there’s no mistaking Peele’s dramatic flair or natural ability to work outside his comfort zone.
Plot: Rose Armitage (Alison Williams) comes from a well-to-do, white, middle class family and goes upstate to visit her parent’s for the weekend with her black boyfriend Chris (Daniel Kaluuya). At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined.
What’s most impressive about Get Out, is that you know exactly what direction it’s going yet it still manages to keep a few steps ahead and never loses your interest. This is primarily because of Peele’s impressive restraint in how he delivers the material and through his attention to detail in some cleverly written dialogue and references. What may seem like a flippant comment can often have a deeper subtext of casual racism. There’s a genuinely disturbing and uneasy vibe that courses throughout the film with the palpable tension between the characters refusing to let up. Peele manages genuinely fearful thrills but also injects some humour into the proceedings where it also works as a fearless social satire.
The entire cast also deliver excellent performances; the always reliable Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford capture the requisite creepiness as the white, middle-class parents and Alison Williams has an effective screen presence that, on many occasions, reminded me of a younger Jennifer Connelly. Most importantly, though, it’s the leading man that impresses most. English actor Daniel Kaluuya has been doing the odd role here and there but Peele has unearthed an impressive new talent and one I’m certain we’ll be seeing more of.
If I had any issues at all, I’d have to say that it loses itself a little towards the end as it descends into the horror tropes that it done so well to avoid. For the most part, though, this still a very tense, nuanced and exceptionally well crafted directorial debut from Peele. He has delivered a film that taps into the zeitgeist and never loses sight of the racial subtext at its core. Sometimes the buzz and positivity surrounding a film is merited and this is definitely one of them.
Mark Walker
Trivia: Jordan Peele was inspired to write this movie by Eddie Murphy. During the film Delirious, Murphy talked about white folks staying in haunted houses. Black folks hear GET OUT and split. Murphy was also the original choice to play the lead, but Jordan Peele changed his mind after it was decided he was too old for the role.
MARKED MOVIES 
July 21, 2017 at 8:58 pm
I’m going to have to make time for this one. I’ve heard the buzz but it seems so corny to me. Your endorsement efinitely spurs my curiosity.
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July 21, 2017 at 11:10 pm
I felt the same with all the hype, man! Believe me. I really thought this would be something that the masses took to and I would find plenty of faults. Not so, though. This is very cleverly delivered. The acting, the dialogue and the approach to the material is really well judged. It’s falters towards the end as many films of this type do, but it still holds strong. I was quite impressed.
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July 22, 2017 at 7:05 am
Nice review Mark. Although I am a big fan of Key and Peele and enjoyed much of the satirical edge of the first half, the ending really hurt the movie in my eyes. I found the Death Wish-esque fantasy to be puerile and misplaced (and like you said, emblematic of the flaws of modern horror features), and I thought the ending reveal of the cop car being part of the TSA was dumb (the original ending, which would have seen Chris go to jail, would be more effective in my eyes). Although I am in the minority for this; while there are plenty of good parts, I was ultimately disappointed.
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July 22, 2017 at 6:16 pm
I totally agree about the ending, Charles. It let it down for me too. It got a bit ridiculous and that original ending you speak of would have been much better and actually fit really well with the overall theme of the film. That said, the way it came to a close didn’t spoil my enjoyment or admiration for what Peele achieved. I would’ve rated it higher had the ending been stronger, though.
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July 23, 2017 at 2:49 am
Not only the ending irked me, but the Rod character also felt misplaced. He worked in the beginning of the picture, but as the film grew more suspenseful, his comic relief felt out of water.
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July 26, 2017 at 12:36 pm
Yeah, I’d agree there too, man. I liked Rod but he didn’t entirely convince for the material.
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July 22, 2017 at 11:23 pm
Glad you liked this man!!! I agree that the ending descended a little bit, but all those subtle racial references, the constant uneasiness…. goddamn I really loved this. The pacing was near perfect, like you said you know where it is going but it stays a few steps ahead. Well said.
I had never seen that lead guy before. But after this, I definetely want to see more as well. Good call on the young J. Connelly comparison, I couldn’t put my finger on it when I saw it a few months ago but you’re spot on
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July 26, 2017 at 12:35 pm
I really enjoyed this. The ending definitely let it down but like you, the racial references throughout were perfectly dropped in. I also dug that he was actually picking at the chair when under hypnosis. Essentially “picking cotton” saved him and I thought this was very, very clever.
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July 27, 2017 at 10:51 pm
yes I thought that part was very well done too, only picked that up on second viewing.
Also that very weird bidding sequence, second viewing made it click. That was very similar to how they fucking bought slaves, well at least the depictions of it that I have seen.
But yeah, the ending did descend a bit. Especially the very final scene.
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August 1, 2017 at 4:36 pm
It’s a shame about the ending, it definitely let the film down a good bit. It was very much a “crowd pleasing” ending when the material demanded something a bit more controversial.
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July 23, 2017 at 9:44 am
Cracking review Mark. This sounds very interesting and terrifying in equal measure. I missed it in cinemas so will catch it on DVD following your recommendation.
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July 26, 2017 at 12:37 pm
Definitely worth a look, Vinnie. It’s flawed but it’s also very tense and cleverly done.
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July 26, 2017 at 2:11 pm
I’m keeping an eye out for it.
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July 23, 2017 at 6:03 pm
I love this movie for all the reasons you give and despite my misgivings about the theatrical ending. The original one Peele had in mind would have made a far greater impact, but I still enjoyed the movie for what it accomplished before it got to the conclusion.
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July 26, 2017 at 12:38 pm
I’m in total agreement Dell. The ending let it down but didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment and respect for what went before. I’d have preferred Peele’s original too. That definitely sounds like a better fit.
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October 9, 2017 at 9:28 am
Amazing film. I can see how most people didn’t like the ending, but
I think it suited the movie exactly because it looked trashy and somehow out of place. Reminded me of some sketches of the show.
I felt there is some similarity between Rod and Peele’s incarnation in his show with Keegan-Michael Key.
P. S. Mark, I think you got it vice a versa in the first paragraph(“Keegan Michael-Key”)
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October 9, 2017 at 8:30 pm
I hear you what you’re saying re: the ending but I, admittedly, did want something more. It was out of place and that only took me out of the experience overall. That said, it’s a fabulous film and Peele can feel very proud of his output. It was great.
Thanks for spell check, man. I appreciate it. I shall remedy that forthwith and thanks for noticing such indiscretions. You’re certainly paying attention 🙂
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October 9, 2017 at 9:28 pm
Grammar Nazi would definitely want to have me in 😆
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March 3, 2018 at 2:26 am
[…] A very tense, nuanced and exceptionally well crafted directorial debut from Jordan Peele. He has delivered a film that taps into the zeitgeist and never loses sight of the racial subtext at its core. Sometimes the buzz and positivity surrounding a film is merited and this is definitely one of them. Full review here. […]
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