The horror-tinged, surprise filled Get Out is a must-see movie
REVIEW: Get Out is very well made, very well thought out, and very, very entertaining. Get in the queue right away.
Leigh Paatsch
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GET OUT (MA15+)
Director: Jordan Peele (feature debut)
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Milton “Lil Rel” Howery.
Rating: Five (out of five) stars
Verdict: Come in and play the ultimate guesting game
DO not be distracted by wherever the hell this unheralded, undeniably superb American horror film came from in the first place.
You should be more preoccupied — worried, even — by the final place it intends to take you.
The smartest thing to do is leave aside any misgivings you may hold about the horror genre. For Get Out is one of the great movie experiences of 2017.
Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) is a young African-American photographer who has been invited by his white girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) to meet her parents for the first time.
The couple are only a few months into their relationship, and though they get along like a house on fire, this weekend away at Rose’s family home — a lavish rural spread at a remote upstate location — is a big deal indeed.
Just before they take off, Rose lets Chris know that her family is unaware he is a man of colour. While this revelation plays on his mind, she says it never crossed her mind to do so.
After all, Rose’s dad Dean (Bradley Whitford), a doctor, is a big ‘L’ liberal through and through. Voted for Obama in both elections.
Her mum Missy (Catherine Keener), is just as non-judgmental and open-minded. Her extensive experience as a clinical psychologist has always placed the interior makeup of a person above the external prejudices of society.
Immediately upon the arrival of their daughter and her new beau, Dean and Missy could not be more gracious hosts.
As it happens to be a significant anniversary for their well-regarded family and its prominent place in the close-knit local community, a garden party for 50 or so invited guests will also be held.
At this point in what is still only the opening act of Get Out, it is best to suspend any further discussion of the plotting right here. There is a wideranging minefield of spoilers dead ahead. (Stay off the ‘net and avoid friends who have already seen the film is also of crucial importance.)
Let’s just compress the bulk of proceedings to follow by observing that Chris cannot suppress intensifying feelings something is slightly off about his debut visit.
There is nothing remotely off about the filmmaking debut of writer-director Jordan Peele (one half of leading comedy duo Key & Peele).
It is exceedingly rare that a filmmaker arrives so fully formed as a talent, and so assuredly versatile in both ambition and approach.
Be sure to check out how Peele cleverly arranges the movie’s noticeably few chills and jolts as camouflage for a subversive social commentary on race, sex and class. This is a perfect example of how a little can be made to go a long, long way if it lands in the right hands.
American audiences have already responded to the highly accessible brilliance of Get Out, where it has already grossed over $200 million (a box-office record for a black filmmaker by a considerable distance).
There is not much more to say, aside from that Get Out is very well made, very well thought out, and very, very entertaining.
So get in the queue for Get Out right away.
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