Get Out

Tags

2010's, Allison Williams, Betty Gabriel, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Catherine Keener, Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out, Horror, Jordan Peele, Lil Rel Howery, Marcus Henderson

Director

Jordan Peele

Starring

• Daniel Kaluuya
• Allison Williams
• Bradley Whitford
• Catherine Keener
• Lil Rey Howery
• Caleb Landry Jones
• Marcus Henderson
• Betty Gabriel

An auspicious debut from TV comic Jordan Peele, Get Out is horror/mystery with a socially aware slant and provocative examination of race relations that is both chilling and

Chris Washington(Daniel Kaluuya) is an African-American photographer who has been dating Rose Armitage(Allison Williams) , who is white. Rose invites him to meet her parents, but Chris is apprehensive of their reaction. They live in plush surroundings in upstate New York and Rose eventually persuades Chris to come with her. Upon arrival, things seem to go well with neurosurgeon Dean(Bradley Whitford) and psychiatrist Missy(Catherine Keener). But although Missy and Dean seem to welcome Chris , their attempts at being friendly and not bothered by his ethnicity come off as very heavy-handed. This is despite the fact they claim to be open-minded people and ones of culture. There is something decidedly off about them that only continues in the ensuing days. Chris was warned by his best friend Rod( Lil Rey Howery) about the way the parents might react but he thought his friend was being overly paranoid and over thinking things. Adding to this deep unease is that two of the servants,  in the house are African-American and act very strangely towards Chris. Rose assures him that her family is cool with him, but Chris is unable to shake off the vibe that something sinister is underlying him stating there. As the feeling of paranoia and terror increases(though he attempts to pass it off as Rose’s parents being shocked she is dating a black man), Missy at one point hypnotises Chris without him agreeing to it, Chris soon realises that he is at the centre of something very twisted indeed. He was mainly worried about how Rose’s parents and social circle would reacted to him dating their daughter, but that’s the least of his worries in this creepy horror flick with something to say.

As first time director, Jordan Peele infuses Get Out with a building tension right from the start. He’s clearly well versed in horror as he is in comedy, which both featuring throughout. It’s the confidence of Peele as a first time director that stands out here and impresses with how he takes the time to set up the story and pull you in on the horror that unravels. You’ll probably never look at bingo or the chiming of a spoon on a teacup the same way again after viewing Get Out. While being a very disturbing horror film with oodles of atmosphere, Get Out is also at times laugh out loud funny. It’s got a snappy wit that is best embodied by Chris’s best friend. He says outrageous things but they are often not far from the strange truth st the centre of the film. Wit also appears in the form of satire at people who claim to be open-minded, when in actual fact are very much prejudice. Peele’s writing, which won an Oscar, lampoons this and blends it with the unnerving sense of something being very wrong with the family Chris meets. Get Out is the kind of film I can imagine revisiting again, in order to discover things I may have not noticed upon first viewing. And that’s a compliment at least in my movie viewing book. A dissonant music score keeps you constantly on edge with screeching violins and occasional choral chanting. Also pervading the heavy atmosphere is a moody cinematography that’s also extremely complimentary to the story.

Heading the cast is the talented Daniel Kaluuya. He possesses a kindness, skepticism and realisation as Chris that makes you relate to him. His look of bewilderment at the events often mirrors our own way of approaching the unusual catalogue of creepiness that takes form. Put simply, Kaluuya is an impressive lead who is clearly going places. Allison Williams is also very good as Rose; who might not be what you think when you first look at her and is a testament to the talent of Williams. Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener are sublimely excellent as the unusual patents whose privileged existence masks something extremely sinister. Both exude a certain level of menace but intelligence too, which is a dangerous yet effective combo. Further creepiness comes in the form of Caleb Landry Jones who has a very offbeat but worrying vibe to him, backed up by Marcus Henderson and Betty Gabriel who seem to have stepped out of The Stepford Wives and into the 21st century. Stealing the show in his appearances has to be Lil Rel Howery, who is an absolute hoot providing the social commentary and outrageous humour of the piece. He’s laugh out loud and heroic at the same time and I very much enjoyed his performance whenever he appeared.

Splendidly unusual, darkly amusing and topical in themes, Get Out succeeds as a very creepy and unnerving horror that stands out indeed and comes highly recommended from me.

Widows

Tags

2010's, Bryan Tyree Henry, Carrie Coon, Colin Farrell, Cynthia Erivo, Daniel Kaluuya, Drama, Elizabeth Debicki, Jacki Weaver, Liam Neeson, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert Duvall, Steve McQueen, Thriller, Viola Davis, Widows

Director

Steve McQueen

Starring

• Viola Davis as Veronica Rawlings
• Michelle Rodriguez as Linda
• Elizabeth Debicki as Alice
• Cynthia Erivo as Belle
• Bryan Tyree Henry as Jamal Manning
• Daniel Kaluuya as Jatemme Manning
• Colin Farrell as Jack Mulligan
• Robert Duvall as Tom Mulligan
• Jacki Weaver as Agnieska
• Liam Neeson as Harry Rawlings
• Carrie Coon as Amanda

A reinterpretation of a Lynda La Plante novel that was also a television series in the 80’s, Widows, as directed by Steve McQueen is an enthralling and character driven slow burn of a heist thriller and drama with superb acting.

In Chicago, a heist that was organised by Harry Rawlings goes horribly wrong and results in his and the other members of the criminal group being killed. Following this, Harry’s widow Veronica is threatened by mob boss Jamal Manning , who Harry stole from and who wants money back to finance his campaign to run for alderman. He warns her to get $2 million to pay him back soon or suffer the consequence, which will most likely come in the form of his terrifying brother Jatemme . His rival for his desired position  is Jack Mulligan, a slimy, spoilt politician who wants to step out of his father’s shadow who also will figure in a certain capacity of the story. After acquiring Harry’s notebook of plans for another heist, Veronica contacts the widows of the other dead men. Linda, who owns a dress shop is in a similar predicament as her husband sold her business without much thought for her and Alice is a battered young woman who is strapped for cash and harangued by a harridan of a mother. One widow isn’t interested in it, so Veronica enlists the help of the fierce Belle, who it just so happens to be Linda’s babysitter. She plans to relocate and could do with a chunk of money to help with this. The plans of the heist starts to form with the group, but various things throw up stumbling blocks and set in motion what could be deadly for the ladies if they don’t succeed.

Steve McQueen is already an established director who is on fire here, bringing his knack for looking at dramatic subject matter and blending it with some really tight tension. We get a plot that seems straightforward, but is actually very twisty and frequently takes you by surprise. We also get commentary on many themes such as racism, hypocrisy , sexism and crime, but thankfully they are given good rendering and not heavy-handed. McQueen clearly has something to say and his cinematic talents lend themselves well to his vision. One great example is Mulligan moving from an impoverished area to his plush house which is a minute away. The fact that the windows of his car are blacked out show how little he and sometimes others understand social divide. This is a heist thriller with a difference as the main characters are not professionals in the art of stealing and the heist itself is not the most important part of the film. Undoubtedly, it forms a ticking time bomb for the characters but it’s watching how these people react to the seemingly impossible task ahead that provides Widows with its biggest impact. We get to know these women and their lives and what ultimately brings them together. They don’t want to be friends or even know each other that well, but all are drawn into a certain sisterhood of unfortunate circumstance that leaves them with no choice but to resort to planning a heist. These are women who are realistic and not simply superheroes, a film like this is too good to go down that route to making it a matter of fluffy caper. There are real stakes here and ones dripping with double-crossing danger. Some may take issue with the gradual build up, but I thought it added more dimension to the film as we viewed growth within characters and their actions. McQueen should be commended for how he keeps all the stories and arcs spinning in tune and given time to breathe. It could have fell apart as there is sometimes a lot going on in Widows, but Steve McQueen and the screenplay from him and Gillian Flynn keep us firmly rooted and invested in the ways they link. The editing, which cuts back and forth in time at various intervals and can be choppy one minute and contemplative the next is something to admire. And set against a building and rumbling score from Hans Zimmer, Widows particularly soars.

A string in Widow’s ever impressive is the ensemble cast, which is simply to die for. Viola Davis heads proceedings with an intimidating and grim seriousness, that also allows for humanity and sadness emerging. Davis rocks the role of a woman who has lost everything and becomes an unlikely but indomitable presence in something she never thought she’d have to do. It’s when she doesn’t say anything that she truly comes alive; her face a canvas of subtle and nuanced emotion. It’s a very fine performance by an always impressive actress who it appears is incapable of disappointing. Michelle Rodriguez is a little softer here than the usual tough chick she plays and it works surprisingly well. I just wish she’d get more roles that blend her toughness with that something else like the one displayed here. Elizabeth Debicki is another standout as the often needy and almost childlike Alice, who it appears is incapable of having a relationship with anyone who won’t abuse or mistreat her. Debicki plays her like a broken down China doll, only later on she starts to harden herself and increasingly mature. Cynthia Erivo rounds out the main ladies with an abrasive attitude and no-nonsense visage that is palpable and strong from the moment we see her.

While it is the ladies of the ensemble who take the lion’s share of screen time, the men also show they are no slouches. Particularly of note is rising star Daniel Kaluuya who bristles with an unnerving swagger and alarming intensity. He puts you on edge throughout Widows and it’s a big credit to him that you feel that way. Bryan Tyree Henry also has an intimidating nature, but one that is tempered with shrewd smarts. Colin Farrell is really fleshed out as a conflicted politician who almost expects everything simply because of standing but also a desire to escape the way his father thinks. It’s a fine balancing act and one that is played well opposite the always watchable Robert Duvall. Liam Neeson, mostly seen in flashback, is like a spectre on proceedings as he is the one who instigated everything and has his fingers over all. Also here is Jacki Weaver, who plays in a short but memorable time the vile and suffocating mother of Alice, whose idea of trying to help is by attempting to coerce her into prostitution. Carrie Coon may be given the least amount of screen time but from what we see, her presence figures unexpectedly into things.

With a focus on characters and depth, Widows earns high points and is simply put, a very well made film with heart and tension. Steve McQueen crafts this engaging and twisty thriller drama that must be seen.