Jordan Peele Confronts Racism and White Privilege in Spine-Chilling Horror ‘Get Out’

Alex Aronson

For the directorial debut of “Key and Peele” star Jordan Peele, “Get Out” holds a mirror up to society and manages to comment on racism, stereotypes, and white privilege in America all within the confines of an entertaining, funny, edge-of-your-seat horror film. The even deeper analysis of Peele’s film isn’t that the racists are Confederate flag wielding, Middle-America types – but they are rather liberal upper-class citizens, suggesting that perhaps even those who believe they aren’t doing deliberate harm could still be adding to the issue of racism. This is the second theatrical release of 2017 for Blumhouse Productions, who were also behind this years’ other horror hit, “Split,” making the genre studio a two-for-two thus far.

In “Get Out,” college student Rose (Allison Williams) and Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) are a passionately in love couple. They have finally reached the point in their relationship when the interracial couple should meet each other’s parents. For Chris, his father and mother are no longer in the picture. He grows apprehensive as Rose, who is white, has not told her parents that she is dating Chris, who is black. Rose assures Chris that her parents aren’t racist, even commenting that her parents would “vote for Obama for a third time if they could.” This eventually parlays into a running joke in the film.  

The couple drive up to Rose’s large family estate in upstate New York to meet her parents, Missy and Dean (Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford). Once they reach the house, Chris is unable to relax and still feels that her parents may not approve of their interracial courtship. Missy, a psycho-hypnosis, offers to put Chris under hypnosis to help him relax and void his habit of smoking. You will never hear the sound of a spoon hitting a glass the same ever again.

Chris is reluctant, but eventually, gives in at Missy’s persuasion. This eventually leads to some of the film’s most eye-catching visuals. He soon learns, with the help of his best friend Rod (Rel Howery), that the upscale suburban area has a sinister history of black men disappearing.  

“Get Out” manages to balance the line of humor and horror well, making this a successful satire that lands on par with “Scream,” and “You’re Next,” with a touch of “Stepford Wives” thrown in for good measure. The film points out horror troupes, specifically roles of race within the horror genre, but comments on them in a refreshing way.

As a director, Peele is effective with the way he chooses to use the frame to allow the characters and visuals in the background to become authentic jump-scares – as opposed to typical jump-scare fauter the genre is so used to seeing. The pacing of the film and the stellar cast performances never turn dull, with the final 15 minutes becoming an all out edge-of-your-seat thriller.

As creator and star of the Comedy Central hit, “Key and Peele,” Peele has always alluded to his love for the genre in some of his sketches on the show. Like comedian Bobcat Goldthwait (“Willow’s Creek”) before him, it is not uncommon for talent in the comedy world to take their turn in the horror genre. Blumhouse Productions has just announced that comedy writers David Gordon Green and Danny McBride (“Pineapple Express”) will be helming the reboot of “Halloween.” If the result is anything like “Get Out,” audiences will be in for a treat.

“Get Out” opens in theaters Feb. 24.