The film Get Out, released in 2017 and directed by Jordan Peele, offers a horror-inflected exploration of racial dynamics in contemporary America. This essay examines the ways in which the narrative distinguishes between overt expressions of racism and more subtle, systemic forms, before considering the extent to which these representations retain relevance in the present day. The discussion draws on the film’s key sequences and critical responses in order to assess both its thematic contribution and its ongoing applicability.
Portrayals of Overt Racism
Open displays of prejudice appear at several points in the film. During the garden party hosted by the Armitage family, guests make unsolicited comments about the protagonist Chris’s physical attributes, treating him as an object of curiosity rather than an individual. These interactions illustrate a form of racism that is explicit yet presented as socially acceptable within the privileged setting. The sequence also features direct questions about athletic prowess and sexual performance, echoing longstanding stereotypes that reduce Black men to bodily functions. Such moments align with what scholars have described as “everyday racism,” in which prejudiced assumptions are voiced without apparent awareness of their offensive nature.
Depictions of Hidden or Systemic Racism
The film devotes greater narrative space to concealed mechanisms of control. The central device of the “sunken place” functions as a metaphor for the silencing of Black agency. Once hypnotised, Chris is confined to a mental space in which he can observe events but cannot intervene; the procedure is carried out under the guise of therapeutic care. This representation suggests that racism can operate through ostensibly benevolent institutions and familial relationships rather than through openly declared hostility. The liberal, affluent setting of the Armitage household further complicates any simple division between “racist” and “non-racist” characters, implying that progressive self-image does not preclude participation in exploitative structures.
Relevance in the Current Context
Since the film’s release, public attention to racial inequality has intensified through movements such as Black Lives Matter and subsequent policy debates in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Reports from official bodies, including the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission, continue to document disparities in employment, policing and mental-health outcomes that affect Black communities. These statistics indicate that the forms of marginalisation dramatised in Get Out—whether expressed through microaggressions or through institutional practices—remain observable. Nevertheless, the film’s horror genre framing necessarily condenses complex social processes into individualised confrontations; it therefore cannot be treated as a comprehensive sociological account. Its value lies more in prompting reflection than in supplying exhaustive empirical evidence.
Limitations and Critical Reception
Academic commentary on Get Out has noted that the film’s emphasis on the Black male protagonist leaves limited space for the experiences of Black women, a point raised in several peer-reviewed articles published after 2017. While the narrative effectively dramatises one mode of racial exploitation, it does not address the full spectrum of intersectional factors. This observation does not diminish the film’s achievements but underscores the need for supplementary sources when assessing contemporary racism in all its dimensions.
In conclusion, Get Out renders both overt and concealed manifestations of racism through distinct cinematic techniques, most notably the contrast between the party scenes and the sunken-place sequences. The patterns it highlights continue to find echoes in official statistical reports and public discourse, although the film’s generic constraints mean that its insights remain suggestive rather than exhaustive. The work therefore retains relevance as a prompt for further critical and empirical investigation rather than as a definitive statement on the subject.
References
- Equality and Human Rights Commission (2023) Annual Report and Accounts 2022–2023. London: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
- Peele, J. (Director) (2017) Get Out [Film]. Universal Pictures.
