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“Get Out” remains firmly on my vaunted list of “Favourite films of recent times” and yet sadly my Youtube video appreciation of the film lurks in a very lowly position within the 210 film videos housed on my channel and quite simply this will not do. So, either you watch the video below, perhaps even consider subscribing and liking the channel and telling your friends, or I’ll find out where you live, hypnotise you into a crying and screaming rage before subjecting you to a rather strange game of bingo.
And you wouldn’t want that, would you?
Originally published in 2017
Mere hours have passed since I left the darkness of my local picture house after seeing this edgy psychological horror from Jordan Peele and it hasn’t been far from my thoughts in the intervening time between leaving the cinema and commencing this blog article. To write and direct such a fresh take in the psychological/horror genre, and in your debut film to boot, is an incredible achievement from Peele and one hopes that this may serve as a template for a resurgence in such a cliched ridden form of shock/horror cinema. From the moment our two main protagonists reached their weekend destination I had a constant feeling of dread and unease, as well as a creeping anxiety and wish to look away from the screen. The beauty of which being the slow layering of outward antipathy but through smiling eyes and welcoming embraces, awkward questions or a sideways glance, rather than the standard horror tropes of modern films for loud scares and ghostly apparitions. For they are here too, both the scares and the ghosts, but of the human kind, still living and breathing but taking on a rather different guise and character. But where this film excels is in its darkly comedic interludes and backed by so many well crafted and rounded characters whilst also shining a light on the incredibly difficult subject of racism and tackling it head on. Again, steering clear of the old and worn stereotypes of racists only being ill educated, lower classed yobs, here they are well at heeled, middle aged and middle class, and they all have a penchant for a rather distasteful and alternative game of “Bingo”.
“Get Out” excels by dragging you into the narrative from the very first frame as an innocent black man is kidnapped walking along a quiet residential street, juxtaposed with the quaintly old fashioned Flanagan and Allen ditty “Run Rabbit Run” and a disturbing metaphor for the film is quickly established. The musical choices (as well as Michael Abels overall tension inducing score) brilliantly accompanies the film, with “Redbone” by Donald Glover used when introducing our main character “Chris Washington” (Daniel Kaluuya) and “I’ve Had The Time of my Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes to darkly comedic effect as the film approaches it’s denouement.
Chris Washington is an affluent and happy professional photographer who is five months into a blissful relationship with girlfriend “Rose Armitage” (Allison Williams). There is no colour bar between the two young lovers, however they are travelling to Rose’s parents for the weekend for the first time as a couple and Chris cannot help but awkwardly ask “Do they know I’m black?”. Rose waves away the question with a laugh but as the ugly spectre of racism rears its head so soon in the film she firmly reassures her beau “Well, I’m not gonna let anyone fuck with my man”. As they reach Rose’s parents the subtle layers, looks, a single word or awkward phrase begin to raise the tension in the household and the opulent surroundings of the home of “Missy Armitage” (Catherine Keener) and “Dean Armitage” (Bradley Whitford). Whereas Dean is excitable and slightly unhinged, Missy is more reserved and watchful and as we soon discover, a professional psychiatrist. Before the weekend truly begins, Rose’s brother “Jeremy Armitage” (Caleb Landry Jones) arrives, and truly seals the increasing portents that things aren’t quite as calm and serene as they appear to be in this family reunion with an off kilter performance, and indeed dress style, reminiscent of Brad Pitt’s brilliantly erratic character Jeffrey Goines in the Terry Gilliam directed “12 Monkeys”. It may not be deliberate, hinted at or even contemplated, but Jones’ portrayal of Jeremy is perfectly and awkwardly unhinged, reminding me so much of Pitt’s turn in “12 Monkeys”.
So what could possibly go awry for Chris under such welcoming circumstances?!
Hypnotised by Missy and thrown into the maelstrom of a gentrified and predominantly all white weekend party, Chris seeks solace in the embrace of girlfriend Rose and that of the black servants employed by the Armitages, however with their far off stares, robotic like movements and permanently fixed smiles all is clearly not well and Chris has but one last anchor on which to fall, his friend “Rod Williams” (Lil Rel Howery). Howery’s performance brings much comedic lightness and relief and it is to him that the majority of the film’s best lines fall, from his allusion to the Kubrick movie “Eyes Wide Shut” (see tag line above), references to sex slaves, multi murderer Jeffrey Dahmer or his simple refrain of “Man, I told you not to go in that house!”.
Chris clearly shouldn’t have!
With the claustrophobia, tension and sense of dread constantly building, “Get Out” immediately reminded me of Kevin Smith’s magnificent, and still underrated, 2011 gem “Red State”. For religious zealotry in “Red State”, read white privilege and repellent racism here. “Get Out” is a brilliantly original horror while overtly highlighting the awkward racist undertones of being a minority in a society still apt to exploit those weakest among you whilst championing the merits of others. Add to this the magnificent performances of Kaluuya, Howery, Keener and Landry Jones and you have a brilliantly unexpected debut film from Jordan Peele.
Thanks for reading.
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