Get Out

Wow. I had avoided the trailer and most commercials for the movie Get Out so really didn’t know much about it at all other than the terrible billboard I saw (it was not clear what the actual movie title was given that the tagline and title were the same font/size) and that it starred Catherine Keener (a favorite) and Alison Williams (someone I assume I don’t like because I’ve only seen her in an episode of Girls before realizing that show is not for me). I knew Jordan Peele wrote and directed it and that it was horror. So, yeah, no real expectations.

Then word of mouth started getting out. I’m not one to put too much stock in Rotten Tomatoes, but 100% for an indie horror at least pinged my curiosity meter. But once friend after friend told me I had to see it, see it I did. All of this setup to give you the context for where my head was and why seeing movies with as little knowledge ahead of time is almost essential to really getting it.

So, spoiler alert – I loved the shit out of it. It’s also why writing a review for it sucks. Nothing I say can really do it justice. And the potential to ruin it is greater than my need to dissect it. Here’s what I will say – it’s a disarming tale about a black man going to visit his white girlfriend’s parents and it’s creepy as fuck, because (shocker) things aren’t what they seem. What follows is a tale that manages the ridiculously difficult task of balancing comedy and horror, and there are just as many laughs as there are scares. It’s certainly an aggressive statement about our cultural environment and the somewhat surprising lines that are being drawn now. It’s a biting commentary on cultural appropriation and stereotyping. And it’s a complete, joyous mindfuck.

Everyone involved is great, actors, writers, editors, director, on down the line. It’s almost non-stop tension. But it does have some huge laughs too. It’s a stunning achievement for a first-time director and even though I was never that invested in Key & Peele, it does make me want to see what he does next. I’d be shocked if this didn’t maintain its favorite status until my top year-end list.

My grade – A