Review

This movie is the story of a professional black man who finds himself in a position with which all black men must consider: Dating a white woman, going to meet her family for the weekend and what ensues as a result.

Story: Comedian Jordan Peele wrote, produced and directed this film. It’s an eye-opening social commentary exposing the plight black men face everyday. What’s more telling is that Jordan Peele found a way to tell this story in a way that has never been approached before.

Peele manages to infuse comedy and suspense with a hint of horror. Some people call this a horror film. The horror is underlying because the reality is real if you’re a black man. The writing is clearly personal and comes through as personal.

Performances: Daniel Kaluuya as Chris Washington is spot on. And that’s a good reference to use because he’s British. He brings just the right balance of professional black man with genuine black man. Allison Williams as his girlfriend Rose doesn’t leave as much of a footprint, but, Katherine Keener and Bradley Whitford are excellent support players as white parents who go out of their way to demonstrate how understanding, supportive and liberal they are for underrepresented groups.

I’m not sure how this film will fare in Oscar contention… It’s getting the kind of talk by the mainstream that lends itself to accolades from the Academy, but… Stay tuned…

Visual: Everything about this movie is a visual home run. The detail is incredible. Chris’ apartment in NYC looks like the success of a professional… He doesn’t live in the hood. His girlfriend’s family has a country house and it reads a bit like a plantation. Even the contrast between black and white with Chris and Rose is stark. I think all of these elements were purposeful but subtle by Peele and it is brilliant.

Rating: A. There is much about this movie that is distressing, but, there is much about this film that is reality. Either way, its an opportunity for every person who sees this film to accept the message and contribute to the conversation.

The net-net is this:
Get Out is a social commentary.
Get Out represents a lot of truth.
If you’re a black man, it’s reality. If you’re not, its a horror movie.

See this movie. Then decide what reality you choose to embrace…