The Perfect Blend Between Horror and Comedy

Rating: 8/10 (12 July 2017)

Get Out is the directorial debut from comic Jordan Peele and tells the story of Chris, an African American man meeting his white girlfriend's parents for the first time at their secluded home in the woods. With all the praise surrounding Get Out, I tried to go in with an open mind not letting the hype overwhelm for what could be an "O.K." film. However after seeing it, the praise its well deserved. This is a meticulous, well-crafted film, that offers both frights and moments of laughter. I was thoroughly impressed by how well made this film was, the score and cinematography is both haunting and dreamlike, giving the viewer an unsettling experience. The story in Get Out, is well realized and the trailer doesn't do enough justice, this isn't a white vs. black film, but rather a social commentary on marginalization, that uses the current events in our world as a springboard to get its ideas across. There were themes/metaphors throughout the film that I didn't realize were connected until the movie was over, this is far more than your average scary movie. Though you can treat it like a good ole' popcorn flick, the film has enough depth to keep the most sharp-eyed viewer thinking afterwards.
With that aside, Get Out is an almost perfect example of a horror/comedy mix, the use of LilRel Howery as the comic relief was excellent, his moments were scattered throughout the film but they never felt out of place and he was actually genuinely funny. This film felt like an old episode of goosebumps or a live action version of the board game "Clue", due to the mystery the protagonist faces. As he is discovering what is going so is the audience and though I was able to piece together what was happening early on, I was still enthralled with what was going on, due to the excellent writing and performances. Most of the actors and actresses in this film were unknown to me but all of them played their roles convincingly well, particularly Caleb Landry Jones, who had a riveting scene that takes place at a dinner table which really got under my skin.
Overall this is a well crafted film that had me on the edge of seat, Jordan Peele proves that he is not just a funny guy but should be taken seriously as writer and director. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Get Out and do highly recommend it. I see myself re-watching this film quite a few times, especially around the Halloween season, as it just has a fall vibe to it. This really is one of my favourite movies I've seen so far this year, so for that reason, I'm giving Get Out an 8.5/10.