A Great Debut Film

Rating: 9/10 (12 January 2018)

This film is a great example of a debut film. The director and writer of this film, Jordan Peele, originally worked on the show Key and Peele that was a sketch comedy show, so this film was big step for his career and I won't be surprised to see more of him in the future. What makes this film stand out is the take on the subject. It is a subject that many movies focus on but the way that this film presents it makes this film different. The lead performance by Daniel Kaluuya is excellent. It is a very subtle performance and when you learn about his backstory you really latch on to him, which is why the ending is a very satisfying end. The side performances by Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford and LilRel Howery are also very good. This film also has small details that you don't get the first time you see the film. Like the main theme of the film is sung in a different language but translate to lyrics like "Brother, listen to the ancestors, run!". Or when Chris and Rose are talking to a police officer and when the officer asks to see Chris' ID Rose rejects the officer so that she doesn't get questioned after they find out that Chris has gone missing. There is also an alternate ending to this film where the police arrive instead of Rod and so he gets arrested. Then it cuts to 6 months later and Rod visits Chris at the prison that is in. When Rod talks to Chris about how there is not evidence, Chris responds "I'm good, I stopped it." What he means is that he stopped his inner demon from overtaking him when he hit Georgina with the car. He didn't do nothing, instead he went out and took her into the car. He also tells Rod to stop asking him about the incident at the Armitage's house. I actually like this ending more than the theatrical ending, it gives you a feel of catharsis where the other ending, which is also very good, is a more happy ending where Rod picks up Chris on the road. My only issue with this movie is that there are times where it goes from a comedic tone to a very serious tone very quickly at times. Like at the end where Rod gets Chris and the thing that he says is for comedy, and I wish he acted more serious because Chris was just shot at, witnessed a suicide and tried to choke his former girlfriend. Other than that this movie is great and I wish I had seen it back when it was in theatres.