In Jordan Peele's first professional movie, ‘Get Out’, he explores the events that unfold after Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a black man, agrees to visit his girlfriend Rose's (Allison Williams) parents’ house. His already poor expectations of the behavior of white parents are met with crushing realization when he eventually realizes everyone is out to get him.
When this movie was first advertised, it seemed to be another horror movie about going to the wrong house at the wrong time, but it turned out to be much more than that. With aspects of horror and suspense not subpar to any other film, the movie does an excellent job of portraying the way black people in the US have learned to cope with the fact that there is inherently always bound to be someone who simply does not like them for the color of their skin, taking precautions with the way they behave and talk in fear of things going wrong for them.
Save your time!
We can take care of your essay
- Proper editing and formatting
- Free revision, title page, and bibliography
- Flexible prices and money-back guarantee
Truly, this movie represents this fear come true in the worst possible way. Because of this, and its exploration into the mindset of the people who are usually at the other end, the perpetrators, white people, I rate this movie a solid 4 out of 5, the only deal breaker being rushed ending; instead of making use of the advantage of time, the film could have used the remaining 20 minutes to complete a full 2 hours to create a more comprehensive conclusion. Still, a great film.
At the time this movie was released, 2017, racial tension was at a peak in the United States following the 2016 presidential election and the appointing of Donald Trump as president. Although many people choose to view the movie as just another horror movie, the racial under and overtones simply cannot be dismissed. The small, yet significant hints throughout the movie point to a clear view of black people in America by this particular family, Rose's family. With statements like, “It is such a privilege to be able to experience another person's culture”, it is easy to see that the Armitage family appreciates black attributes a little… too much. We eventually come to learn that this family does not practice racism in the traditional and expected form of believing that black people are inferior to whites, but rather their superiors. Stronger, faster, more beautiful, better at sex; each member of the family had a reason for why they believed that black people were now 'in fashion'.
Another controversy fueling the racial tension at the time this movie was released was the ‘blackface’ issue. It has been a common argument in American social media that white people act 'ghetto', speak in certain ways, dress a certain way, and even tone their skin in a certain way to look more black. This behavior is believed to be caused by the white belief that it looks good to have black attributes borrowed from a culture as long as they don't have to experience the burden of actually being black and being in the said culture, which is called cultural appropriation. If not enjoyable for the horror aspect, this movie also makes you think about to what extent these arguments are valid, and whether the situations presented have been experienced by yourself or others, and helps you clearly see the reactions of Chris when treated this way. Further into the movie, however, by taking into the extreme side of things, this film presents a clear question: Do white people want to be black? If so, to what extent are they willing to go to achieve this 'coolness' that comes with being black and American?
Whether you are black or white, throughout the movie you can notice behaviors that you may have witnessed or practiced yourself, which opens you to question whether these behaviors are appropriate and/or whether you should be more careful about the things you say or do. Some people at first are incapable of comprehending that what they are doing may not sit well with others, and to build a proper society, one must be able to understand these different narratives.
Watching this film was a tension-filled experience, as it was easy for me to identify situations in real life that could very well go dangerously wrong if not handled properly. The realism of interactions between the characters in this film is terrifyingly relatable, easy for the viewer to put themselves in the giving or receiving end, and wondering what is going to happen next if one of the characters says something that doesn’t sit well with the other. The performances in this film just feel natural.
It truly does not fall short of performance, as the plot is unique, terrifying, and able to keep the viewer on their toes. Not only is this a horror movie, but this is also a statement from the author, his view on what is currently taking place in American society. It is a way to freely express the concerns of many of the people who live in the U.S., either too conforming to speak up, or just too scared. You may not think initially that this film could help you learn anything new, but not even 10 minutes into the movie you will find thought-provoking scenes that will make you question how often you see these behaviors in your own life.
Stuck on your essay?
