Get Out ★★★★
SOMEBODY has made a movie just for me.
Well that was my first thought after seeing American comedian Jordan Peele’s Get Out.
This mash-up of social commentary, mystery, thriller, dark comedy and horror is a real surprise.
Word started getting around a couple of months ago following some of the festivals and since its wide US release it has notched up generally great reviews and already taken more then $80 million.
It starts in Perth soon and the most important thing to say is…DO NOT watch the trailer.
My approach these days is to go online and, if a title interests me, just watch the first 30 seconds with the sound down.
In the cinema, for the throw-away action and comedies, it doesn’t matter. But for others I have been known to look away and mentally tune out.
The trailer for Get Out is terrible in that it not only reveals too much, but does so in linear order. One of the joys of this film is wondering what the hell is going on and how things will unfold. The trailer robs the viewer of that feeling.
That said, all I will reveal is that the film starts with a young inter-racial couple preparing to visit the woman’s parents at their country home. It will be the first time she has introduced them to her male partner.
As an African American, he is nervous, despite her claims that her parents are not racist: “My father loves Obama; he’s always saying he would have voted for him for a third term.”
But almost immediately on arrival he senses something is off. The next hour is a fascinating blend of mystery and dark comedy that ratchets up the tension until it becomes almost unbareable for the audience. The final act provides a thoroughly satisfying pay-off.
The performances are all terrific and the thriller and comic elements perfectly balanced. English actor Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams are particularly effective as the couple, but there really isn’t a false note amongst the supporting cast.
Without giving anything away, don’t forget the film is rated MA for the horror elements. I suspect some people might love most of the film but could be turned off at a few stages.
This is Peele’s directorial debut and it’s a terrifically assured one. He also wrote the film. I’m thinking it won’t have the same effect with a second viewing, but I’ll definitely be giving it a try.