‘Get Out’ review

On Tuesday 13 February The Gulbenkian hosted a one-off screening of ‘Get Out’, a film which, despite its recent release, is swiftly becoming a cult classic. Jordan Peele’s stylish satirical horror-comedy, first released in 2017, hits almost too close to many of the most pressing questions faced in American society today.

The film presents a fascinating way to approach the question of race relations in the modern world; the true horror in this film lies in what is hidden, what is unseen but lurking just beneath the surface of a culture. This is a film to be watched not for its grand reveals and jump-scares, but for the spine-chilling nuances which pepper every scene – and only become more and more terrifying with every watch.

The screening was followed by a film talk given by Dr. Matthew Whittle, Dr. Sean Grattan and Dr. Portia Owusu. The talk examined and developed many themes present within the film, such as the portrayal of hair and its importance within the conversation around race, the portrayal of African-American women within the film and ideas around authority and identity in the America of today. The varied and enthusiastic question and answer session in the talk only served to further illustrate the profound impact ‘Get Out’ has on its audience, and how film’s such as this one are vital for encouraging public discussion about race.