Thursday Night Movie Club
Get Out
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Release Date: 24 February 2017

Director: Jordan Peele
ACTORS:
Daniel Kaluuya
Allison Williams
Catherine Keener
Bradley Whitford
Caleb Landry Jones
Marcus Henderson
Betty Gabriel
Lakeith Stanfield
Stephen Root
LilRel Howery
Ashley LeConte Campbell
John Wilmot
Caren L. Larkey
Julie Ann Doan
Rutherford Cravens
CHARACTERS:
Chris Washington
Rose Armitage
Missy Armitage
Dean Armitage
Jeremy Armitage
Walter
Georgina
Andrew Logan King
Jim Hudson
Rod Williams
Lisa Deets
Gordon Greene
Emily Greene
April Dray
Parker Dray
Get Out movie poster Get Out movie poster Get Out movie poster
Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams star in Get OutGet Out has an implausible plotline. Director Jordan Peele and his wonderful cast ignore the obvious and craft a wonderful modern horror story that feels like fingernails slowly, so very slowly, scraping on a chalkboard.

From the very start, something is not quite right. Exactly what is not right is as elusive as trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. You just can't put your finger on it. It is out there, somewhere, just out of reach.

Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) are a young couple who haven't been dating very long. The time has come for them to spend the weekend at Rose's parent's house and meet the family. How hard can this be?

Awkward might be a better term. Chris is Black. Rose is White. Afterall, this is 2017 and interracial couples are not as scandalous these days. Chris is apprehensive about the upcoming weekend. Rose sees this as no big deal. Rose hasn't told her parents Chris is Black. She isn't concerned. It's her life.

Catherine Keener Bradley Whitford star in Get OutChris need not worry. He is welcomed into Rose's family with open arms and a hearty hand shake. Chris is overwhelmed with kindness, almost smothered with love. No one even blinks that Chris is Black. Missy (Catherine Keener) and Dean Armitage (Bradley Whitford) are nice, too nice.

On the other side of the spectrum is son Jeremy (Caleb Landry Jones). Jeremy drinks too much. He probably came to dinner drunk. He speaks his mind. He fails in his attempts at subtlety. Chris keeps up a brave face under very trying circumstances.

Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams star in Get OutThen the creep-fest slowly begins. The housekeeper Georgina (Betty Gabriel) is Black. That isn't the problem. She has the kind of smile on her face that you want to wipe off with a 2x4, with nails. Georgina means well. She is very professional in her job duties. Yet, she stands perfectly still in the kitchen, doing nothing but smiling. Just like the kindness of Missy and Dean, Georgina's smile is over-the-top.

Rounding out the household is caretaker Walter (Marcus Henderson). Walter is every bit unnerving as Georgina. He seems to have a twinge of schizophrenia. Walter seems to be speaking in a verbal code only he understands. Nice one moment, darker the next. Walter suggests Chris should leave.

Get OutDirector Jordan Peele starts the creep fest from the first scene. Rose is bringing Chris home to meet her parents. Their relationship has reached a serious stage. Rose is unconcerned that Chris is Black. Her reaction is logical, straight forward, matter-of-fact. Chris being Black is no big deal. Chris isn't so sure.

Missy and Dean are very, very welcoming to Chris. Too welcoming. Over-the-top welcoming. Chris is smothered in kindness. Then comes son Jeremy who is a complete 90 degrees off center. Is Jeremy just being brutally honest or is he trying to subtly insult Chris. The caretakers are just not normal. When we meet her, Georgina is standing perfectly still in the kitchen with her insessant dazed over-done smile plastered on her face.

Daniel Kaluuya stars in Get OutThen comes the weekend party. The Armitage's hold a large gathering of family and friends. They hold the party every year on the exact same weekend. This has been going on Rose's entire life, yet she forgot the yearly family event is this very weekend. Director Peete keeps the creepiness subtle, yet it is non-stop. Every few minutes something else happens that is just not quite right. The suspense keeps building until it is unbearable.

The family gathering is a barrage of overwhelming kindness. Chris is instantly welcomed by all of the guests. Some of the women are blatantly flirting with Chris, feeling his muscles. Even the men seem to be intrigued by whether Black men are sexually endowed. Chris is polite to everyone, but he clearly would rather be anywhere else. When he finaly is somewhere else, the family festival turns into an auction. Chris is being secretly auctioned. But why?

Daniel Kaluuya stars in Get OutPeele populates Get Out with a never-ending stream of happenings that make absolutely no sense. Peele blurs the lines between illusion and reality. Is Chris in a hypnotic trance and none of this is actually happening? Is he stuck in a nightmare from which he will never wake. Is this happening in Chris' head or is this real?

The build up of creepiness in Get Out is like rubbing a balloon between your fingers until the noise becomes so uncomfortable you want to squeeze the ballon with all your might until it bursts. Then stomp the balloon until there is nothing left!

With any luck, the sun is still shining when the audience leaves the theater. Otherwise, it might be a long ride home. Is your home realy safe? The creepiness in Get Out stays with you long after the movie ends. Enjoy Get Out... or maybe not... or enjoy the maybe not... or...!