Jordan Peele wrote the script of "Get Out" before Donald Trump ascended to the White House, yet his modern-day, American horror flick wasn't aimed at the billionaire. It won't be the Republicans either. The New Yorker was thinking of the middle class in New England, white liberals who may be doing more harm to American society. Peele's debut feature would reveal that racism was still existing in the third millennium, which could be a frightening thought. After all, Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream (and paid a price for it). Malcolm X chose a different path, yet there was no doubt about his aspirations.
Chris Washington was a photographer who was quite different from the other people of color. For one, Chris doesn't have a chip on his shoulders. Second, he was fortunate not to be caught in the vicious cycle of drugs, violence, and domestic abuse that have marginalized many black people. Last but not the least, Chris had a presence of mind. The last one doesn't suggest that black people are generally stupid, as horror would be that genre where filmmakers (and authors) tend to generalize certain kinds of people. It could provide a ground for discrimination, but Peele seemed to channel his inner Ira Levin.
Who could forget the Stepford wives? Levin released it during the early 1970s, about a suburban community in Connecticut where the menfolk despised feminism. They were husbands who wanted their wives to be blond and beautiful. They also preferred them to be housewives, if not dutiful spouses. In the case of "Get Out", Peele described a village of middle-class (white) Americans in Rhode Island who made Chris Washington uncomfortable in their presence. They were patronizing the black athletes who changed the sports, which was unnecessary. It turned out that the family friends of Rose Armitage, who was in a relationship with Chris, were old, white people. And they wanted to be inside the body of mostly black men. If that wasn't disturbing enough, then viewers might be startled at Rose's childhood home. It resembled a coffee plantation in the South during the 19th century.
Peele chose Daniel Kaluuya, a British actor, to play Chris Washington. Why not a young African-American actor? After all, no one would know the history of slavery better. The writer/director didn't take the subject matter too seriously, as the first half was a satire against the suburbs in America. The inhabitants rather not get out of their comfort zone, yet they won't get out of their way (and understand the problems gripping the less-fortunate citizens in American society). A black actor who grew up in a different place would understand Peele's intention. Then again, Peele may not be able to find a younger Keenen Ivory Wayans. (Wayans and his siblings poked fun at black people in "In Living Color".)
The first half of "Get Out" was an unsettling psychological thriller, with Michael Abels's composition keeping the audience squirming in their seats. They would be drawn to it, though. Peele slowly built up the suspense until the second half. This was the part where the audience would witness how hell broke loose in the Armitage household. The "Key & Peele" star could have done better by not keeping his restraint on the shocking finale, but it didn't matter. He exposed the shocking truth.
A lot of white liberals are apolitical by nature, preferring to sit on the political fence for personal reasons. It could be anything but noble. Interracial affairs may no longer be frowned upon, but some remarks showed the ignorance and rudeness of those who said it. And Hollywood don't really know what kind of film to produce. It used to be a proliferation of musicals and comedy after World War II. There won't be an end to sequels, remakes, and reboots nowadays. The final scene suggested an open ending, but let's hope the box-office success of "Get Out" won't tempt Peel to do a sequel. He wanted to send a (subtle) political message, and he couldn't do it better. As for the rest, it happened on the right place at the right time. Film enthusiasts would point out Stanley Kramer's “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner”, but Peele rather focused on what could be served on the dining table.
