Get Out (2017)
2017
R
104 Minutes
A young African-American man visits his Caucasian girlfriend's cursed family estate.
User Review
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WHAT I LIKED: On the one hand, 'Get Out' is undoubtedly a very gripping and engaging thriller indeed, but what really makes it something special is its thematic layers.
Yes, Jordan Peele isn't aiming for a straight genre-piece here at all as the story he writes is one of relative insanity that goes an awfully long way to very literally explore a brilliant thread of interesting social themes where a black man visits his girlfriend's white, blue-collar household and some pretty sketchy, racially-motivated things start happening.
Now often that kind of overt approach to ideas can come off as clumsy and forced, but it is extremely successful here because the film doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, and because it hooks you enough that its madness properly transcends.
Indeed for one Get Out is most definitely a film that invests and engages you very effectively as Peele not only builds a well-layered (and well-portrayed) lead character, but he also places him in plenty of genuinely tense and uncomfortable moments that are upped throughout and orchestrated perfectly by the brilliant score and cinematography.
Secondly though, one can also say that none of that would have worked if it had dealt everything with a straight face and a steady hand, as the madness of the whole thing would have still felt unnatural. Luckily though, Get Out delivers its crazy theme-driven story in am almost tongue-in-cheek manor - helped along by the lead character who travels through it all with a somewhat nervous brow and yet a (albeit decreasingly) calm and amused attitude that comes off exactly how one is supposed to perceive the whole experience as a viewer.
In the end then, it's a very enjoyable, engaging and socially-relevant thriller, and whilst that may sound like a very mixed bag, it can definitely be said that none of those elements would have worked as well without each other.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: As it truly descends into madness in the final act, it does occasionally feel as though its forgotten how silly it has become.
VERDICT: A film that goes an awfully long way to discuss its social themes but gets away with it thanks to its humour and perfect execution, 'Get Out' is a real success from Jordan Peele that should hopefully get him more directorial work in the future.0 member like this review.
