Laughs and Scares Balanced Perfectly

Rating: 9/10 (25 February 2017)

Out of all the possible genre combinations, horror and comedy are probably the most difficult to combine. I'm not sure if first time director Jordan Peele impresses more with that particular balance, or with his ability to effectively display social commentary.
Blumhouse Productions is putting together quite the resume. Their films continue to make bank at the box office, but the diversity of their horror features are nothing to scoff at either. Just in the last few years alone they've made films like The Gift, The Visit, Split, and now Get Out. All original twists on the horror/thriller genre. Get Out may be the most impressive yet.
I always talk about my disconnect with the horror genre and how I don't find much substance with 75% of the films. Get Out turns the genre on its head, doesn't rely on jump scares, is surrounded by tremendous performances, and has a socially relevant script. It is so rare for a film to have a socially relevant message without feeling too political or one sided. I can't tell you how many times I've appreciated what a film or a TV show is saying, but I get turned off by the way it's portrayed. Get Out manages to make an entertaining horror/thriller, while also commenting on unintentional and benevolent racism coming from a white family towards their daughter's new boyfriend, an African American.
It's the racism most people don't normally think about. The people who say they aren't racist because they "voted for Barack Obama" or maybe because "Tiger Woods is their favorite athlete". Films like 12 Years of Slave and the recent documentary, 13th, are important. But it's films like Get Out that are more effective because they are giving the same message in a different way. Brilliantly written and structured, Peele gets the most out of his actors and times the laughs and scares in an effective manner. Please go out and support an original film like Get Out. You won't be disappointed.
+Original
+Laughs and scares
+Really well acted
+Pacing
9.1/10