Get Out [245 points / 26 votes]
“What’s left to say about Get Out, at this point? That it’s terribly clever, and rewards repeat viewings? That it’s both funny and genuinely thrilling? That it manages to be an unapologetically black film while not forgetting about non-black audiences? That it’s the first movie that’s distinctly of the Trump age, despite having been made before the election?
“All these things, and more, have been said. Yet they’re still worth repeating, because it’s easy – as some have – to dismiss Get Out as ‘merely’ a competent genre flick with some social messaging. It’s easy to see why some people underestimate it: Jordan Peele makes everything look easy. But that doesn’t mean it was.
“Some stories have come out that show how the movie was finessed, even during filming. An earlier ending was a lot darker, with Chris arrested. The movie’s ultimate resolution is better. When the police car shows up, your first thought isn’t ‘at last!.’ It’s ‘oh shit!’ – even as a white viewer, because the movie skillfully manages to shift your perspective. The fact that Peele had the confidence to know that that ‘oh shit’ was enough, and that the movie would be best served by offering us a release instead of doubling down, shows how sound his instincts are.
“Another story came out recently, about a subtler point. As written, it seems, there was a discussion during which Chris wanted to leave, but Rose convinces him to stay. In the end, the roles were shifted: it’s Rose who is outraged on Chris’ behalf, seemingly just realizing just how racist and insensitive her family members are. She’s the one trying to get Chris to leave… which results in him being the one who argues for staying. After all, his unease is probably just paranoia. White people aren’t actually out to get black people… are they?
“The movie is full of these kinds of choices: Peele may be a first-time director, but his hand is assured. The final result is a deeply satisfying popcorn flick that lingers and reveals its intricacies only gradually. It builds on earlier movies – The Stepford Wives and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner most obviously – but it is, in the end, a fully original movie. A movie that, whether through accidental timing or unconscious prescience, could not have arrived at a better time.” ~ Hedwig van Driel
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