Exceeds Expectations

Rating: 9/10 (24 January 2020)

While deciding on which movie to watch, I started thinking about movies that it seemed that everyone loved, and after some thinking I came up Jordan Peele's Get Out. Having had high expectations for this movie, I can honestly and happily say that it didn't disappoint one bit. It was every bit of what critics and casuals had said about it and more.
This mixture of a horror, suspense, and thriller movie follows a young couple named Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams). Chris, an African American man, was going to meet Rose's all white family, including her neurosurgeon dad, Dean (Bradley Whitford), and her hypnotherapist mom, Missy (Catherine Keener). After the over comforting welcome by Dean and Missy, Chris notices the two African American workers at the house, and their "strange" behavior. After a chilling, unplanned, and forced hypnotherapy session at night with Missy, Chris is beginning to get even more freaked out, but hey at least it helped him quit smoking. The next day, after meeting and talking with Rose's extended family, he notices that all they talk about are his genetic traits, and can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. This mix of positive and negative discrimination and stereotypes right to his face leaves him speechless and worried, with Rose seemingly being the only one that genuinely supports him.
Jordan Peele excellently builds up the tension of the movie through what Chris sees and experiences, and builds as much suspense as possible before revealing the truth. Similarly to Karyn Kusama's The Invitation, both films build as much tension and suspense as possible through the suspicious and so called weird actions of the characters, until you can't wait anymore for the big reveal. This masterclass of a thriller movie, combined with a little bit of horror, was fantastic for keeping fans (and me) hooked to the movie, not wanting to miss any of it.
The acting was a huge part of this movie's success. Daniel Kaluuya brilliantly portrays what we would all be feeling in his situation, and makes the movie seem extremely realistic. His acting clearly shows how he gets more and more worried as the weekend progresses. Allison Williams also shows off her acting ability, as she throughout the movie showcased how genuine and supportive she is of Chris. The sound throughout the movie also cleverly showcased the building of the tension and suspense of the movie, building the mood and helping progress the movie's plot along brilliantly.
Peele also combines both the awesomeness of a fantastic thriller and horror movie with talking about prominent racial issues. Rose and her family at first seem absolutely supportive of Chris and his race, with Dean saying that "he would have voted for Obama for a third term if he could". However throughout the weekend, the all white family only comments about Chris's race and his genetic traits. This underlying racism that some people say and use is usually hard to portray clearly, but Peele has portrayed it marvelously. Peele has included some stereotypes of both African American and white people, which may or may not be true and anger some people. However, his main message about talking about and showing underlying racism from people who were presumed as not racist was clearly shown, and Peele remarkably combined that powerful message with a stunning movie.
Jordan Peele's Get Out deserves all of the praise that has been said about it. It skillfully talks about a prominent social issue while still providing entertainment to its viewers. Believe me, while watching this movie, you won't want to get out of your seat for anything.