Get Out (Spoiler Alert!)
I saw, Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele one of the last days it was in theaters, and I thought it was fantastically horrifying and surprisingly relevant.
A surreal depiction of the reason for black aggression and defense in social circumstances surrounded by upper class white people, meant to demonstrate the anxieties created by a society where in the color of you skin dictates not only your place in society but your safety.
Throughout the beginning of the film the audience is met with the common narrative of the fear of, specifically, a black man meeting his white girlfriend’s parents. The man’s name is Chris Washington played by Daniel Kaluuya and his girlfriend Rose Armitage is played by Allison Williams. The concerns seem unfounded as the common narrative is that though things are weird for a while eventually the black man is accepted into the family.
As the film progresses it becomes clear that things are not right with the black people working for Rose’s family. The characters are reminiscent of hostages, and some even warn him to get out. These warnings definitely scare Chris but he shakes it off as paranoia until it is almost too late. This is a real fear that exists within communities of color.
The scene at the end when the protagonist and his (one presumes at this point) ex girlfriend both see a cop car at the end. The audience undoubtedly feels the loaded nature of cops happening upon a violent scene involving a black man and a white woman. If they didn’t they would get the idea once seeing the protagonist raise his arms in innocence and the ex girlfriend (psycho-killer) reaching out for ‘help.’ In fact it is the best friend, Lil Rel Howery, played by Rod Williams, is in the cop car and thus our protagonist is saved and the stigmatization is tossed to the side.
This film is undoubtedly a reaction to the current political situation within the community. The issue of many police across the country making snap judgements with racism at the heart of said decisions, resulting in innocent people of color’s lives lost. This film allows for a clear political statement to be felt as opposed to announced. If you are a person who does not understand the concerns of people of color in regards to law enforcement this film will allow you the perfect opportunity to learn without being put down for being ignorant.
Pairing the insightful vision of director Jordan Peele with the film’s overall entertaining and thrilling aspects, I’d say this is a great film for anyone mature enough to handle brutal scene’s of violence.
Side note:
The manner in which this film operates, where the audience is tempted continuously to look away due to the blood and violence, reminds my of a statement Dario Argento made about his film, Opera. The killer in his film tapes nails under the protagonist’s eyelids, this is a commentary Argento is making about movie goers and the urge to turn away. Though it is understandable to want to avert one’s eyes, it is imperative that the viewer watch, for much of the commentaries horror film makers are attempting to make comes through in these scenes. The job of the viewer in this instance is to deal with the uneasiness, look and think. This idea is continuously present in the film, Get Out, in that we don’t want to see the brutalizing of a human being but we need to in order to understand the severity of the trouble they face in everyday life.
