GET OUT

**Well, It happened. It was black…and I’ll never go back. I didn’t know I had never really seen it, but they showed it to me, right there on the screen. That’s right. I went Dolby and It’s twue! It’s twue! So, you see, there’s no going back for me. It would have the ultimate experience if that white chick who shouted, “That’s racist!” during the trailer for Get Out had shown up, dragging her one black friend to the opening night. Sadly, she did not show. Well, not sad for realtor in the next office who barely knows her and has know idea why she suddenly wants to be buddies.. But, really, the Dolby theatre? I don’t want one in my home; I want one to be my home.**

Get Out is a film I’ve been awaiting for some time. After writing sketch comedy and co-authoring the screenplay for Keanu, the tale of two secretly street dudes, dealing with gangs, drug dealers, contracter killers, and the popo and brushing them all off like the little buzzing mosquitoes they are to these two straight-up gangstahs. All of these stone cold killers are after the big score: almost a pound…of Keanu, cutest kitten in the world. Right in Peele’s wheelhouse. But this? He’s written and made his directorial debut with a film that will not only scare the New Balances right off you, but it’s socially relevant, too. Who knew that’s what was waiting to come out of him?

Before the audience even has a chance to adjust to their seats the scene is set to terror by the most chilling pieces of music since “Ave Satani”. Warning voices call from the shadowy trees beside the road, whispering “brother, brother!” then slide seamlessly back into the Swahili lyrics that are the rest of the song. Michael Abels has done a brilliant job with the music score, creating what Peele described as, “something that felt like it lived in this absence of hope but still had [black roots]. Certainly, he nailed it with that opening song, the movie’s them “Sikiliza Kwa Wahenga” where the lyrics loosely  translate to “‘Brother—listen to the elders. Run! Brother—listen to the truth. Run, run far away! Save yourself.”

Already a seriously scary setting.

We are already programmed to feel uneasy as we watch the happy, playful scene with African-American Chris (Kaluuya) and lily-white Rose (Williams) and react with dread when we learn the couple is going to her parents’ house in the country for the weekend. Oh, and she hasn’t bothered to tell her parents that one little detail about her boyfriend. That’s when you want to shout at the screen and tell him to make up some excuse, any excuse not to go. Break up with her; she’s got crazy eyes eyes, anyway. Just get out of it altogether. But, he is a far more trusting soul and he is in love, so off they go. There is even a minor incident on the road that should be taken as a sign, but they made it to the house estate.

Everything about the Armitage’s lovely abode screams white privilege and The Man. Dean (Whitford) is an overly non-racist fellow; he didn’t say he doesn’t see colour, but it was bangindg aroung inside that skull. You can just see those comments waiting to come out. Rose’s mother Missy (Keener) is instantly suspect and repellent, a psychiatrist who has no problem shoving her hypnotherapy on Chris until it sounds like a threat.

The ominous air in Get Out never lifts, keeping that piano wire taut to the point of breaking until the very end. Abels’ score contributes greatly to the feeling of fright. Peele’s script, of course, is the film and he has managed to make it both one scarey-ass story and a socially and politically relevant cautionary tale at the same time without beat the audience about the head and shoulder with the message. It is impossible while getting the New Balances scared off you to ignore the parallel line of thought that it shouldn’t still be a novelty to see an inter-racial couple and it certainly shouldn’t inspire the violent reactions it does.

Along with the veteran actor’s in the cast who you already know are going to be able to take it home there are some outstanding performances. The lead actor carries a heavy load, as the story is seen through his eyes so he must appear in every scene, In addition, he is asked to portray an insane array of emotions, but he swings on that dark pendulum without hitting an artificial note once. Daniel Kaluuya is a British and he’s not as well-known here as in his homeland, but I think that’s about to change. Another stunning comes from an actor who is on screen for far too short a time, but in only two and a fraction scenes he manages to make quite an impression. Also, he has seven projects coming up, so I think we’re going to see Lakeith Stanfield in many more scenes wherein we can get a better chances to judge his abilities. I think we’re going to be seeing a lot more of both these men. One actor who failed to rise to the challenge of a role that actually was far less demanding. Allison William’s Rose Armitage rarely moved outside a very narrow range of emotions, no matter for what the script called.

Get Out was definitely a film that kept the audience in their seats. In our showing, not one person got up during the entire time. Personally, I think they were afraid to get up and leave the theatre unless someone went with them. You never know what kind of strange, monotone people you might bump into in the dark. It is that kind of film. All the way until the big reveal… That’s when a big wave of disappointment hit me. Up to that point, the story had been unsettling and mysterious and petrifyingly possible. The big moment, well, that asked for more wiling suspicion of disbelief than I have in me. It was the big *noooooooo?!*, but the rest of the movie was so good that that flaw is not going to stop me from watching it again and again every time I see it on cable.

And, I think I am the lone critic with that opinion on those scenes, but it is garnering great reviews. I’m giving it a great review, because chances are most of you are going to love all of it and be amazed with the big reveal. Even if you agree with me on that, I think you’ll also agree that Peele has made something worth watching. Oh! And see it in a Dolby Theatre if you can. Delicious….