Keep It Reel: 'Get Out'

By Marc Woodfork

Part thriller, part social commentary on race relations, the new film from Jordan Peele hits on all cylinders.  Starring in the film is actor Daniel Kaluuya and actress Allison Williams from HBO's hit series "Girls".  The pair plays a dating couple who are at the stage of meeting the parents for the first time.  Allisons' character, Rose, invites Daniels' character Chris over to her parents' house for a weekend getaway.  Chris is very apprehensive about going due to the interracial dynamics of their relationship that Rose hasn't disclosed to her parents yet.  As the visit gets underway a series of odd circumstances and events occur that uncovers a horror that Chris could never have seen coming.

This is Jordan Peele's first directorial effort but you wouldn't know it from watching this film.  It's funny, thrilling and thought provoking.  What's most interesting is the way the film manages to address racism in the context of a horror/thriller movie.  This film gets so many things right.  Allison Williams is very good.  Those that enjoy her role on 'Girls" will be delighted to see her in a more mature setting.  There are scenes that are laugh-out-loud funny and scenes that are incredibly frightening.

"Get Out" is unique, fresh and polished.  It modernizes the classic horror story.  Jordan Peele has changed the way Hollywood should approach a genre that seemed to run out of original ways of telling a story.