At the end of February and the beginning of March last year, the biggest film in the public eye was “Get Out,” written and directed by Jordan Peele (“Key & Peele”). The film follows Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya, “Sicario”), who visits the home of his girlfriend, Rose Armitage (Allison Williams, “Girls”). He arrives, quickly realizing that the Armitage family and family friends are more than a little racist. As he stays for the weekend, he is attempting to uncover if the weird things going on is his imagination or if Rose’s family is as bizarre as they appear.
The film is categorized as a thriller since Washington is unsure of his safety for the duration of the film. “Get Out” was incredibly well executed through the plot and the cinematography. “Get Out” has been brought back into the spotlight as nominations for the major awards shows have been being released. When the nominations for the Golden Globes came out, fans of “Get Out” were surprised by the film only receiving two nominations, Best Musical or Comedy and Best Actor Performance in a Musical or Comedy. The nominations were also looked at with confusion from everyone, including Jordan Peele. When watching the film “Get Out,” no one was laughing in the theaters. Peele Tweeted “Get Out is a documentary” after seeing the nominations.
The movie tackles some intense racial issues, including discrimination and segregation. The use of “hypnosis,” as can be seen in the trailers, provides a chilling concept of not being in control of one’s own body. This can be translated literally into race, showing that minorities in America do not have control over how they are viewed or how the majority treats them. Kaluuya’s brilliant acting is displayed in a perfect poster: A close-up of Washington’s face as he falls into “the Sunken place,” where Rose’s mother, Missy Armitage, (Catherine Keener, “Captain Phillips”), sends those she hypnotizes. The way that the “Sunken Place” was filmed showed Washington’s helplessness, making the audience empathize with him. Washington wakes with a start from a nightmare, leaving the audience to wonder if he had left his bed in the first place.
The mystery is presented from Washington’s perspective, which adds even more suspense to the narrative, even if audiences figure out what is happening before he does. He has a friend, Rod Williams (LilRel Howery, “The Carmichael Show”), who works as a TSA agent. He provides a necessary comedic effect, but is also the voice of reason. He expresses that the situation with Washington is very strange and that he should be careful, filling the skeptical trope that is typical in horror movies. Howery’s character and acting is put in the film to make the film lighter, but also to voice how the audience feels throughout the film.
The film “Get Out” will keep viewers on the edge of their seat. Each time they think the mystery is unraveled, more is added to the confusion. The film gives the white audience a smack in the face and leaves everyone with a pit in their stomach. Regardless of race, most audience members leave the theater with a sense of pride in Peele’s hard work and daring perspective on race in modern America.
Image for Universal Pictures via YouTube.com
