Get Out: A Powerful Commentary on Race in America

Get Out is arguably the biggest movie phenomenon of 2017. The film raked in $175 million at the domestic box office, and comedian Jordan Peele became the first African-American director to surpass the $100 million mark with his first feature. Not to mention, the film was a social media phenomenon spawning numerous challenges, memes, and think piece discussions. But Get Out’s success lies not in its revenue but in its ability to tackle race in America in a way that’s inclusive and entertaining.

On paper, it seems like the movie’s premise shouldn’t work. A young African-American man ventures off to the suburbs to meet his white girlfriend’s parents. While spending the weekend at their secluded, country home, he discovers that people in the community are trapping and enslaving black people to steal their best qualities (i.e. eyesight, physical strength, etc.). The only way out of the situation for our protagonist Chris (played by Daniel Kaluuya) is to kill the family that’s attempting to trap him. Essentially, a black man needs to kill white people for freedom.

But it worked.

Get Out is funny, thrilling, and incredibly smart. But the greater metaphor in the film, that black people in America are working in service to their white counterparts, is the final piece that drives home the film’s impact.

These conversations have existed in the black community for ages. From the popular belief that Elvis lifted his musical stylings from black artists to Melania Trump actually lifting portions of a Michelle Obama speech during the 2016 RNC, these incidents have, unfortunately, been part of the black American experience.

Where Get Out succeeds is weaving that cultural criticism into the fabric of its main plot. At one point in the film, the family, along with other members of the community, host an auction to see who “wins” Chris. The top bidder is a blind man, who wants to take Chris’ eyesight and use it to boost his photography practice. It’s a very literal interpretation of the greater cultural issue but works within the framework of the film because this frightening circumstance has been set up throughout.

The film also expertly addresses the faults of white liberalism. Chris’ girlfriend Rose (played by GIRLS’ Allison Williams) is first presented as an open-minded woman who doesn’t see color. When they have an uncomfortable run-in with a police officer, Rose is angered and comes to Chris’ defense. But as the movie goes on, it’s clear that Rose is on the wrong side of things. The lesson here is that a person wo claims to support you or be an advocate for your cause can still work against you as an enemy.

The metaphor in Get Out is extreme and should be taken as such. Black America doesn’t necessarily need to resort to the methods Chris used to regain his freedom. But it’s important for people on both sides to understand the issues at hand and have an open discussion. Get Out encourages that conversation in a fresh, creative way, and hopefully, there are other films that follow in the same vein.