A Review of the truly unique and innovative movie, “Get Out”
Ashton Hamilton, Guest Contributor
“Get Out” is one of the most innovative movies of its time. The film develops feelings of suspense and uncertainty from The Invitation, paired with the comedic timing and style of humor found in Keanu. What makes “Get Out” unique is its ability to fluidly integrate suspenseful scenes with comical ones. Instead of completely removing the suspension of disbelief for audiences, the different genres provide viewers with a change of pace, granting momentary relief from the horror elements.
The plot of “Get Out” revolves around Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya), an ambitious photographer who is traveling with his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams) to meet her family for the first time. The central theme is revealed right away, with Chris being nervous that Rose didn’t tell her parents that he is black. Rose, however, assures him that her parents are very accepting and definitely not racist. Upon arriving at the Armitage’s isolated estate, audiences are introduced to Rose’s parents: Dean (Bradley Whitford), an affluent neuro surgeon and Missy (Catherine Keener), a cold and mysterious hypnotherapist. While touring the house, Chris is uneasy after noticing that both the maid and groundskeeper are black. Insisting to Chris that they are not racists, Mr. Armitage proudly tells him that he would’ve voted for Obama for a third term, praising as the country’s best president. After several days of unsettling events, the secret of the Armitage family is revealed.
The primary theme of “Get Out” is racism, a critical factor in determining the success or failure of the film. Since race is a sensitive topic in society, it could have been negatively interpreted, resulting in an uproar from viewers. However, racial issues in “Get Out” are not used solely for the humorous situation; there are also portrayals of real-life events. In one scene, for example, Rose is speaking with a police officer after hitting a deer that was running across the road. While documenting the incident, the officer asks Chris for his identification. Rose argues that since he was not the one driving, it is unnecessary; nevertheless, Chris hands over his license to avoid escalating the situation. This portrayal of racial profiling is an example regarding situations shown in the movie that also occurs in the real world.
Although each actor did a fantastic job portraying their respective roles, Daniel Kaluuya had the most memorable performance. His ability to believably convey many emotions sets him above the rest. Throughout most of the film, Chris maintains a calm and composed temperament, even when facing problematic situations. The gradual increase of anger and anxiety in Chris is expressed by the escalation of his tone of voice to the point of shouting and the fact that he is visibly shaking, further exemplifying the intensity of the situation.
The largest contributor to the success of “Get Out”, is the plot itself: specifically, the organization and inventiveness of its writing. The film takes the issue of racism, one that many people are uninformed about, and putting it under the spotlight. The use of racism is a unique theme, one that writer and director, Jordan Peele has very strong feelings about, which is shown throughout the film.
Many horror comedies ultimately fail due to the suspense being shattered by overly satirical characters, or by poor acting and special effects. “Get Out” is one of the few successes in the comedy horror genre, because of how the different genres were correctly used to represent real-life issues. In one setting lies the main story, which houses the all the horror aspects in the film. At the same time, the audience is introduced to the comedic relief, who is used to counteract the tension built by the previous scenes. “Get Out” effectively produces a natural eerie atmosphere while providing the audience with a few laughs, allowing for an enjoyable moviegoing experience.