Allison Williams – We Are Movie Geeks

REGRETTING YOU – Review

Let’s see what happens when Hollywood “hits the books” for this new flick. We saw the adaptation of a work from the same author last year with IT ENDS WITH US (AKA the movie that spawned countless real-life legal “sequels”). So does this story from Colleen Hoover tread familiar territory? Well, it is a romance that has some pretty heavy dramatic elements, a rarity at the cinemas these days as the “rom-com” is more prevalent than the “rom-dram” (a phrase coined by a cast member promoting it on TV). And while the last Hoover work dealt with domestic abuse, this one has a big role for the “Grim Reaper”. So does he take his scythe to the young and not-that-young lovers coupling in REGRETTING YOU?

The first scene in the story is a seventeen-year flashback. Two high school aged couples (senior year) are on their way to a big beach blow-out. While stopping for snacks, Morgan (Allison Williams) tells Jonah (Dave Franco) that she’s pregnant by her beau Chris (Scott Eastwood). Jonah’s crushed as he’s had a secret crush on her, despite dating Morgan’s kid sister Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald). Flash forward to the present, as the now married Morgan and Chris host a birthday party at their home. Joining them are the also now married Jenny and Jonah, who have a little baby boy, Elijah. Missing from the festivities is now seventeen-year-old daughter Clara (Mckenna Grace), whose lateness is caused when she gives her classmate Miller (Mason Thames) a lift to the house he shares with his cranky but lovable ‘Gramps’ Hank (Clancy Brown). She finally arrives for the party and immediately begins discussing Miller with her adored Aunt Jenny (Miller’s already got a steady, so Jenny warns Clara about being “that girl”). All’s well until Morgan gets a call days later. Hubby Chris has been in a major auto accident. Heading into the hospital, she’s surprised to see Jonah already there. It turns out that Jenny was also in an accident. Then the double stunner: Chris and Jenny were in the same car and both perished. Clara is devastated and begins to rebel by sneaking out to meet the now girlfriend-free Miller. Morgan “shuts down” due to the death and betrayal bombshell. But she’s got to help Jonah with baby Elijah. Then he blurts out that the child has Chris’s smile. Do they tell Clara that her papa and Aunt Jenny were cheating, and, bigger yet, she has a half-brother? And will Morgan and Jonah finally act on their long-suppressed mutual attraction?

Okay, let’s start with the older (a bit) of the two romantic couples. After the two M3GAN flicks, Williams is in full maternal mode as the emotionally pummelled Morgan. We can see her wavering somewhat in her “laying down the law” rants to her Clara, hinting at her deep devotion to her child, which may undercut the big throw-downs. Williams real strength is in the halting exchanges with Jonah as she walks the delicate journey from widowhood. Franco takes on a more dramatic turn after being a comic MVP for the last decade or so. His furrowed brow under the big black framed eyeglasses (to age him a tad more) conveys his near collapse at the loss of his spouse and his need to step up as a single parent. As for those “twitter-pated” teens, Grace very gracefully tackles the role of a blossoming young adult about to dive into swoony passion. The youngest Ghostbuster balances Clara’s despair over her loss with simmering anger toward mom, which may jeopardize her new relationship with Miller, played by the very busy Thames (last week in BLACK PHONE 2 after being the live-action Hiccup this Summer). He’s easy going, affable, and strong-willed, particularly when he realizes that he may be a “pawn” in the Clara/Morgan “war”. Both of them are on the fast track to greater film stardom. Fitzgerald (so fantastic in STRANGE DARLING) and Eastwood put their considerable screen charisma to work as the doomed duo, Jenny and Chris. Happily some needed levity is provided by the always compelling Brown as ‘Gramps’ and the bubbly Sam Morelos as Clara’s BFF Lexi, who is “fixed- up” with the endearing nerdy Efren (Ethan Constanilla).

Trying to keep these convoluted plot threads untangled is director John Boone, best known for THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, though I’d say his THE NEW MUTANTS is a pretty good “B” superhero flick. He keeps the histrionics to a minium while all the story “plates” keep spinning, but there’s just so much he can do with the often turgid, soap-style structure. The old phrase “potboiler” comes to mind, though I often thought I was trapped in a basic cable TV-movie featuring a more polished ensemble (“star-wattage” can only brighten things a touch). Of the themes, the blossoming young love “plot line” works best, while the elders must flay about dealing with death and infidelity. One scene in which Morgan vents her anger at a car is most grating. The locales and fashions are lovely, though they were backdrops for blatant product placement (there’s always a “logo-fronted” soda can while Miller works for a multiplex where Nicole Kidman usually wanders about). At least it’s not as tone-deaf and thuddingly off-kilter as Hoover’s last big screen flick. There may be an audience for movies made from “beach-reads”, but rising stars like Grace and Thames deserve a much-better showcase for their talents than the regrettable REGRETTING YOU.

1.5 Out of 4

REGRETTING YOU is now playing in theaters everywhere

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of REGRETTING YOU

Based on the bestselling book, REGRETTING YOU introduces audiences to Morgan Grant (Allison Williams) and her daughter Clara (Mckenna Grace) as they explore what’s left behind after a devastating accident reveals a shocking betrayal and forces them to confront family secrets, redefine love, and rediscover each other. REGRETTING YOU is a story of growth, resilience, and self-discovery in the aftermath of tragedy, also starring Dave Franco and Mason Thames with Scott Eastwood and Willa Fitzgerald, in theatres this October 24.

https://www.regrettingyoumovie.com

The St. Louis screening is at 7PM on Tues, October 21^st AT Marcus Ronnie’s Cine . (6pm Suggested Arrival) PG-13.

ENTER HERE FOR PASSES: http://gofobo.com/CbgaE80187

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

McKenna Grace as “Clara” and Mason Thames as “Miller” in Regretting You from Paramount Pictures.

M3GAN 2.0 – Review

If there’s one thing we’ve learned after more than a hundred years of horror movies, it’s this: you just can’t keep a good “monster” down. That’s certainly true of the “Golden Age” icons, whether it was Frankenstein’s monster or Count Dracula (even in the “Silver Age,” it was a given that Christopher Lee would be back for blood). It may be more certain now in the age of “spin-offs”, prequels, and countless sequel. Plus it also extends to those fiends without flesh, like Chucky of CHILD’S PLAY. And now there’s a “gender flip” on that. Back in 2023 the January film “doldrems”, when often the thriller “dregs” would be dumped into the hungry multiplex, a chiller with a satiric “bite” brought us a new horror “heroine”. Well, she’s baaack! Finally, leaping off the toy shelf and into our nightmares comes M3GAN 2.0.

This one begins far away from the sunny California suburbs of the original. In the Middle East a super secret agent is on a rescue mission, which goes sideways. She’s ignoring all the orders from the US command center, as we learn that the agent is a robot. The story then shifts to an update on the main characters from the first flick. Gemma (Allison Williams) is part of media crusade warning parents about the dangers to their kids in the online world. But she has her own tech company with her loyal staff Tess (Jen Van Epps) and Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez). Gemma’s still the legal guardian to her niece Cady (Violet McGraw), who channels her trauma into her Aikido lessons. Oh, and Gemma’s in a thriving relationship with a former cyber-security expert, Christian (Aristotle Athari). But what she’s focused on right now is the powerful exo-skeleton they’re trying to sell to the tech billionaire mogul, Alton Appleton (Jemaine Clement). That day doesn’t go well, but the night is even worse, when Gemma and Cady are awakened by home intruders. They’re not burglars, but rather, agents of the FBI. Their commander (Timm Sharp) tells Gemma that they want information about M3gan, whose designs were the basis for their now missing rogue spy assassin Amelia (Ivana Sakhno). After the “guests” leave empty-handed, Gemma is startled when the old M3gan program announces her return via the big screen TV (and other devices). Soon it becomes obvious that the only way to stop Amelia’s path of destruction that leads to a sentient “doomsday” device from the 1980s, is for Gemma and her gang to team up with M3gan. But can the devilish doll ever be trusted despite all the “fail-safe” software that Gemma installs? Will Cady be put in danger once more as they’re drawn into a vast conspiracy that could end the planet? These toys aren’t playin’ around!

Yes, the “old gang” is back together again. And their comic timing is just as sharp two years later. The leader of “the pack” is probably Williams, as the frazzled, but full of steely determination, Gemma. She’s still the protective “mama bear” even as she’s rattling off endless bits of “techno-jargon” while making us root for her as she is often needed to be the “voice of reason” or a real “wet blanket”. Her family “jewel’ is the nearly teenaged McGraw as the sassy and very “pro-active” ( a certain martial arts movie star is her “role model”) Cady. Epps and Jordan are quite the effective loyal but bumbling comedy team as “sidekicks” Tess and Cole. The big comedy MVP might just be Clement as the arrogant, abusive snob Alton, who could perhaps be a satiric riff on a real-life odd uber “tech-bro”. We’re just waiting and yearning for his sneer to be “deleted’ ASAP. Other comic standouts are Sharp as the gung-ho mucho macho spy chef and Athari as the too, too sensitive and empathetic nurturing BF Christian. As for the “big baddie”, Sakhno is the face of pure banal evil, with big expressive but vacant “peepers” as Amelia, the Terminator packaged as a waif-like supermodel. And though she’s a mix of stunt folks, puppetry, and CGi, special kudos should go to M3gan’s main body double Amie Donald and the supplier of her snarky quips, vocalist Jenna Davis.

And this veteran cast is guided by OG director Gerald Johnstone, who also collaborated on the script with Akela Cooper (who created the characters with James Wan). They’ve decided to opt for a completely different tone with this outing, skirting around much of the first one’s horror “vibe” and making a scathing parody of cyber “chaos” and firing lots of parody “salvos’ at the modern action “high concept” blockbusters. While some of the set pieces and sequences take on THE MATRIX, Johnstone and company have some fun with the worlds (and imitators) of JOHN WICK and James Bond (I’m surprised the big secret villain HQ wasn’t inside a dormant volcano). Like ALIENS, it takes on new targets, though the hardcore fans will enjoy a riff on the “meme-fodder” murder-dance of M3gan and her aggressive, snarky “attitude”, guaranteeing that she’ll be a popular costume for the next Halloween and beyond. The doll doesn’t get all the best gags as the evil ‘mastermind’ has a casual “sing song” delivery as he tries to be a “Michael Scott” style cool, friendly boss. Now, as with most of the “straight” action-thrillers it piles on the endings along with the henchmen bodies literally exhausting us with “overkill”. But it’s easy to forgive its over-indulgences when we get a truly uproarious song scene and a “bizarro” AI convention. Sure, the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE epics need a good drubbing and this demonic doll can certainly dish out the “burns” and cyber “side eye”. If you can handle sharp satire and even sharper weaponry, then you may want to “click”on the upgrade that is M3GAN 2.0. Powering down…

3 out of 4

M3GAN 2.0 is now playing in theatres everywhere

First Teaser And Synopsis Have Been Downloaded For M3GAN 2.0

The murderous doll who captivated pop culture in 2023 is back. And this time she’s not alone.

The original creative team behind that phenomenon—led by horror titans James Wan for Atomic Monster, Jason Blum for Blumhouse and director Gerard Johnstone—reboot an all-new wild chapter in A.I. mayhem with M3GAN 2.0- in theaters June 27.

Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous (and impeccably choreographed) rampage and was subsequently destroyed, M3GAN’s creator Gemma (Allison Williams) has become a high-profile author and advocate for government oversight of A.I. Meanwhile, Gemma’s niece Cady (Violet McGraw), now 14, has become a teenager, rebelling against Gemma’s overprotective rules.

Unbeknownst to them, the underlying tech for M3GAN has been stolen and misused by a powerful defense contractor to create a military-grade weapon known as Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno; Ahsoka, Pacific Rim: Uprising), the ultimate killer infiltration spy. But as Amelia’s self-awareness increases, she becomes decidedly less interested in taking orders from humans. Or in keeping them around.

With the future of human existence on the line, Gemma realizes that the only option is to resurrect M3GAN (Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) and give her a few upgrades, making her faster, stronger, and more lethal. As their paths collide, the original A.I bitch is about to meet her match.

https://www.m3ganmovie.com

Directed by acclaimed returning filmmaker Gerard Johnstone, the film co-stars returning cast members Brian Jordan Alvarez and Jen Van Epps as Gemma’s loyal tech teammates, Cole and Tess, and new characters played by Aristotle Athari (Saturday Night Live, Hacks), Timm Sharp (Apples Never Fall, Percy Jackson and the Olympians) and Grammy winner and 11-time Emmy nominee Jemaine Clement (Avatar: The Way of Water, What We Do in the Shadows).

Produced by James Wan, Jason Blum and Allison Williams, the film is executive produced by Gerard Johnstone, Adam Hendricks, Greg Gilreath,Michael Clear, Judson Scott and Mark D. Katchur.

The first M3GAN film shattered box office records,opening to $30.4 million domestically to become the biggest opening weekend for a PG-13 horror film since A Quiet Place Part II. The film went on to gross more than $180 million worldwide.

M3GAN – Review

If 2022 could be known as the year of the male puppet, with two different versions of the fairy tale classic PINOCCHIO, then 2023 is shaping up to be the year of the female doll. A few weeks ago the internet nearly broke with the first teaser for BARBIE, which looks to be a candy-colored comedy. Oh, but that’s still months and months away, isn’t there any new toy-themed flicks out right now? Oh yes, there is, and she’s a terror. And though she looks like the kid cousin of Mattel’s queen she’s closer in spirit to Chuckie. Well, she’s lifesize and like last year’s movie subject, she’s “got no strings” on her. And unlike “Talking Tina” from TV’s Twilight Zone, she doesn’t just whisper threats. The “follow-through” is one of the upgrades on the interactive, and homicidal, doll called M3GAN.

To throw us a bit off-kilter, the story starts with a commercial for another toy. A talking fuzzy troll-like, puppy-sized toy has the kids flipping out, and their parents doling out the dollars. One of the toy’s fans is ten-year-old Cady (Violet McGraw) who is driving her parents crazy with its constant chatter. Mom’s regretting that her sister who helped invent the toy gave them such a good deal on it. But that’s the least of her worries as hubby can’t seem to navigate a curvy mountain road during a snowstorm. Which leads to a horrific tragedy. Meanwhile, the sister earlier mentioned, tech inventor Gemma (Allison Williams), is prepping her newest invention to show the toy company’s prickly prez, David (Ronny Chieng). It’s a life-size (for a preteen) human-looking doll dubbed M3gan ( Model 3 Generative Android). The unveiling is a disaster, so she’s tasked with making the current furry toy cheaper to produce until…she gets a fateful call. Gemma’s now the guardian of Cady who survived the crash that claimed both her parents. Unfortunately, the two just aren’t “bonding” until Cady sparks up when Gemma shows her an old robot she keeps in the garage. Cue the light bulb above Gemma’s head. In secret, after hours at her work lab, she and her team complete the repairs on M3gan. Soon Cady is introduced to the “project” and the toy “bonds” with the child in order to fulfill its main function: protect Cady. All’s going well until several odd disappearances and accidents begin popping up in the area. Could M3gan’s advanced programming include murder?

Williams shines in a modern female spin on the Dr. Frankenstein persona. Her Gemma has the best of intentions which indeed “pave the road to Hell”. Facing pressure at work, she’s thrust into parenthood and is terribly ill-prepared. The toy’s a quick fix, but it also bonds her to the new daughter in unexpected ways, developing real empathy. With this role following her great turn in GET OUT, Williams could be part of a new era of “scream queens”. She’s got a good rapport with McGraw, who ably handles Cady’s emotional shifts, going from a grief “numbness” to her euphoria over her new pal to an obsessive mania when Cady tries to become the defender of the bot. Chieng scores some solid laughs as the profit-minded big boss with a really short fuse and little time for considering the consequences of what he’s sending out into the world. And praise must be given to the people that bring the title character to life. Annie Donald gives M3gan an interesting style of movement, opting for brisk fluid moves with any mechanical stiffness, even making her rampages into aggressive dance steps and motions. Jenna Davis supplies her calm, sing-song-type voice which helps makes M3gan’s “descent’ more disturbing as she tosses off an oddly cheerful threat. And all this works due to the tech artists who give real expression to the vinyl-like doll’s head with those expanded glowing eyes.

Director Gerald Johnstone smoothly steers the story through bits of satire and into moments of real suspense. And much of the comedic beats from screenwriters Akela Cooper and James Wan do land, especially in their swipes at marketing with TV ads that seem right from SNL. Unfortunately, many of the characters feel a bit cliche such as a nasty neighbor who feels out of place on Gemma’s upscale block (she’s a modern Mrs. Kravitz from TV’s “Bewitched” with a vicious pet and a “Karen attitude”), and a school bully straight outta’ “juvie”. The sequence with the latter had real terror potential, but the filmmakers seemed to back off in order to hang on to the “PG-13” rating (it’s rumored that several reshoots were needed to keep the flick away from an “R”). This may be a problem for the hordes of horror fanatics who also may be put off by the “slow burn” of the set-up. Several awkward family dynamics are presented before the doll goes “wonky”. Luckily some interesting ideas involving connected tech liven up the action-packed finale. It all makes for a fairly good modern cautionary fable about keeping off “the screens’ and making human connections rather than bonding with algorithms. By that fiery finale, most viewers will be happy that they didn’t look under the tree a couple of weeks ago to see those yellow glowing orbs from the face of M3gan.

3 Out of 4

M3GAN is now playing in theatres everywhere

Meet M3GAN In First Trailer And Poster

Meet M3GAN, your new best friend.

Watch the trailer for M3GAN, from James Wan and Blumhouse.

M3GAN is in theaters January 13.

From the most prolific minds in horror—James Wan, the filmmaker behind the Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring franchises, and Blumhouse, the producer of the Halloween films, The Black Phone and The Invisible Man—comes a fresh new face in terror.

One of Wan’s best and most recent flicks has been MALIGNANT.

M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Get Out’s Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to.

When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw, The Haunting of Hill House), Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems—a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.

Produced by Jason Blum and James Wan, M3GAN is directed by award-winning filmmaker Gerard Johnstone (Housebound), from a screenplay by Akela Cooper (Malignant, The Nun 2) based on a story by Akela Cooper and James Wan.

The film also stars Ronny Chieng (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Brian Jordan Alvarez (Will & Grace), Jen Van Epps (Cowboy Bebop), Lori Dungey (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, extended edition) and Stephane Garneau-Monten (Straight Forward).

Universal Pictures and Blumhouse present an Atomic Monster production in association with Divide/Conquer. The film’s executive producers are Allison Williams, Mark Katchur, Ryan Turek, Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath.

GET OUT Screens Midnights This Weekend at The Tivoli

“I want your eyes, man, I want those things you see through.”

GET OUT plays midnights this weekend (April 13th and 14th ) at the Tivoli Theater (6350 Delmar Boulevard) as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series.

When Jim Batts reviewed GET OUT here at We Are Movie Geeks, he wrote: “…Peele throws us a curve by delivering a nail-biting action-packed finale that will have audiences cheering, despite the underlying bits of parody and satire. On so many levels, Jordan Peele’s “message monster movie”, GET OUT, is outstanding.” Read all of Jim’s review HERE

When Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a young African-American man, visits his white girlfriend’s (Allison Williams) family estate, he becomes ensnared in the more sinister, real reason for the invitation. At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he could have never imagined. This speculative thriller from Blumhouse (producers of The Visit, Insidious series and The Gift) and the mind of Jordan Peele (Key & Peele) is equal parts gripping thriller and provocative commentary.

Don’t miss this screening of GET OUT this weekend (April 13th and 14th ) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series.

The Faceboook invite for the event can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/events/171099403513573/
The Tivoli’s website can be found HERE

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/st.louis/tivolitheatre.htm

Here’s the rest of this Spring’s ‘Reel Late at the Tivoli’ schedule:

April 13-14 GET OUT

April 20-21 WAYNE’S WORLD

April 27-28 ROAD WARRIOR

May 4-5 AMELIE

May 11-12 DEEP RED

May 18-19 THE ROOM

May 25-26 HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE

GET OUT Screens at The St. Louis Library June 3rd – ‘RACE AND THE HORROR FILM’

“I want your eyes, man, I want those things you see through.”

GET OUT screens at 1pm Saturday June 3rd at The St. Louis Public Library Central Branch (1301 Olive Street St. Louis) as part of their 2-film ‘RACE AND THE HORROR FILM’ series. A discussion follows the screening. This is a FREE event.

Don’t miss this screening of GET OUT this Saturday at The St. Louis Public Library Central Branch. The other film in the ‘RACE AND THE HORROR FILM’ series is GANJA AND HESS, which screens June 10th.

WAMG Giveaway – Win the GET OUT Blu-ray

**The GET OUT DVD and Blu-ray release is set for May 23, 2017!**

Now you can own GET OUT Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has FIVE copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie with the word ‘out‘ in the title? (mine is INSIDE OUT!). It’s so easy!

Good Luck!

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.

2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES.

Special Features:

Digital Copy of Get Out (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.)
Includes UltraViolet (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.)
Alternate Ending with Optional Commentary by Writer/Director Jordan Peele
Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Writer/Director Jordan Peele
Unveiling the Horror of Get Out
Q&A Discussion with Writer/Diretor Jordan Peele and the Cast
Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Jordan Peele
Alternate Ending with Commentary by Writer/Director Jordan Peele
Deleted Scenes with Commentary by Writer/Director Jordan Peele

GET OUT – Review

The first few months of the year seem to be prime territory for the studios to unleash new horror flicks. Perhaps the thinking is to get out of the way of most of the action blockbusters of the Spring/Summer and steer clear of those serious “message” prestige films near the end of the year. Well, maybe this “chiller” could be close to the later category. It’s got lotsa’ scares and some not-so-subtle bits of social commentary, a message horror flick. But it’s really not something new to ‘sinister cinema”. Many interpret the vampire legend as a commentary on female sexuality while others see zombie stories as metaphors for the struggle in the class system (the walking dead as the lower classes rising up to consume…). Perhaps the most famous example of this “mixing” is 1956’s iconic INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (and its three remakes), which some interpret as an attack (or is it an endorsement?) of that era’s anti-communist paranoia. Other recent genre films like IT FOLLOWS and THE WITCH have these extra layers. But this new release blends the frights with a “take” on race relations. maybe more so than those 1990’s gems CANDYMAN and TALES FROM THE HOOD. And it’s the feature film directing debut of Jordan Peele, yes one half of that celebrated comedy duo. I’m sure he hopes you’ll go out and see GET OUT.

After a truly spooky abduction scene opens the film, we’re introduced to the story’s main focus: professional gallery photographer Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya). He’s got a pretty great life in the city sharing a place with his gorgeous girlfriend Rose Armitage (Allison Williams). But on this day he’s a bit nervous since he’ll soon be meeting her folks for the first time. It’s a tense time for any couple, but the “race thing” worries him. Has she told her folks that he’s black? Rose insists that they’ll be fine (“My dad will tell you he would’ve voted for Obama a third time”). After leaving their pooch with his pal, TSA agent Rod (LilRel Howery) they hit the road. Then the road “hits back” when a charging deer streaks past them (causing some damage, but they proceed). When they arrive at the lush Armitage home, tucked away far from civilization, the first person they spot is the beefy, reserved groundskeeper Walter (Marcus Henderson). The front door flings upon as Chris and Rose park the dinged-up car. It’s Papa Dean (Bradley Whitford), a renown surgeon, and Mamma Missy (Catherine Keener), a successful psychiatrist. Dean grabs Chris in a warm embrace (“We’re huggers!”) and takes them into the house.

That night they’re joined by Rose’s vaguely confrontational kid brother Jeremy (Caleb Landry Jones). Over dinner, she’s reminded that a big family gathering will take place over the weekend. Chris is rattled by this and by the odd, passive (almost from another earlier era) behavior of the black housekeeper Georgina (Betty Gabriel). More strange sh…er..stuff.. occurs overnight when Chris is almost run down by the charging Walter (doing his exercises), then has a weird encounter with Missy in the dining room (did she put him in a hypnotic trance?). More bizarre awkward encounters happen the next day at the big Armitage family get-together. Chris meets a blind gallery owner, Jim (Stephen Root), who’s a fan of his work. Then he meets another “brother”, a man around his age married to an Armitage matron nearly 30 years older. But he acts and dresses like a man in his sixties. Then when Chris snaps a cell phone pic of him (with a flash bulb), the man (Lakeith Stanfield) lurches toward him and yells, “Get Out!!”. Chris agrees, but is it too late for the couple to escape?

Kayuuya delivers a great nuanced, subtle performance as the “stranger in a strange land”, a terrific take on the horror hero determined not to be a victim. Chris rises to the occasion, becoming pro-active when he’s plunging into this “bizzarro-land”. But we also see his vulnerable side when forced to confront the horrors of the past by the horrors of the now. We’re on his side every step of the way. Williams is quite the dream girl, the stabilizing force during this strange trip. But she’s conflicted, trying to support Chris while staying loyal to the family. We’re curious about her real allegiance. Bradford has a gregarious clumsy charm as the patriarch, seeming too eager to become Chris’s buddy, a surrogate daddy even as he awkwardly calls him “my man”. As the matriarch, Keener goes in nearly an opposite direction, her Missy is an intellectual, a tad reserved and frosty as she coolly observes every interaction. We get that this “iron lady” really runs the “show”, especially when she must deal with Jones as her “loose cannon” son. Jeremy appears to really enjoy shaking up this “picture perfect” home, coming off as a passive aggressive variation of Christopher Walken as Annie Hall’s twisted brother. As creepy as he is, ole Jere’ is nothing compared to “the help”. Henderson is all slow quiet menace as the lumbering Walter, while Gabriel, as the nearly always smiling Georgina, makes her the stuff of nightmares. Her scenes with Chris as she unravels are riveting and unnerving. We’re on the edge of our seats as we wonder when she’ll eventually snap. She makes us relish the story’s energetic comedy relief, the scene-stealing Howery as Chris’s best pal and confidant. The phone calls that convince him that things are “hinky” provide huge laughs as his Rod becomes an “audience surrogate”. He has no filter and says the things we feel we’d say (a TSA agent hero, not a bumbling doofus!). The only problem is that the audience laughter nearly drowns out his great line delivery.

The very talented Mr. Peele makes a spectacular debut as feature director and writer, with no platoon of story and screenplay aides. Many have tried to describe this work via other films, calling it a modern mix of MEET THE PARENTS, GUESS WHO”S COMING TO DINNER, and THE STEPFORD WIVES, but that can’t really capture its unique vision and originality. We’re expecting a comedy from this vet of TV and improv, and, as I mentioned, the Howery character is hysterical, but the strong dramatic tone and striking visuals are a wonder. Peele’s restrained use of special effects make the sequences inside Chris’s head very powerful. He’s endlessly, slowly plunging into an overwhelming pitch black chasm while the window through his eyes slowly blurs and darkens (great use of his point of view), showing his helplessness. He’s fighting back to little effect. Plus there’s the overall atmosphere orchestrated by Peele. Chris and Rose aren’t just out of the city, they’ve left sanity behind. From the deer encounter, through the welcoming, and particularly the family “gathering”, a sense of uneasy dread oozes from every frame. Then Peele throws us a curve by delivering a nail-biting action-packed finale that will have audiences cheering, despite the underlying bits of parody and satire (unlike the recent CURE FOR WELLNESS, Peele knows when to end the story). On so many levels, Jordan Peele’s “message monster movie”, GET OUT, is outstanding.

4 Out of 5

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