Jordan Peele’s Get Out isn’t just a horror film — it’s a razor-sharp social thriller that turns racial tension into pure cinematic terror. Released in 2017, it shocked audiences with its originality, biting satire, and deep symbolism. Beneath its eerie tone lies one of the smartest commentaries on race relations in modern cinema.
Detailed Summary
Meeting the Parents
The film follows Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya), a young Black photographer who is dating Rose Armitage (Allison Williams), a white woman. When Rose invites him to spend the weekend at her family’s luxurious suburban estate, Chris is understandably nervous. Rose reassures him that her parents — Dean (Bradley Whitford) and Missy (Catherine Keener) — are liberal and “would have voted for Obama a third time.”
From the start, Chris feels uneasy. The Armitages’ Black servants, Georgina and Walter, act strangely robotic and overly polite. The family’s behavior is just off — too friendly, too rehearsed.
The Hypnosis
Things get weirder when Missy, a psychiatrist, offers to hypnotize Chris to help him quit smoking. During the session, she sends him into a trance where he falls into what she calls “The Sunken Place” — a horrifying mental prison where he’s conscious but powerless, watching the world through a tiny window. It’s one of the most chilling moments in modern horror cinema.
The Garden Party
The next day, the Armitages host a garden party. A group of wealthy white guests arrive, all unusually interested in Chris — his physique, his “genetic makeup,” even his photography skills. It’s uncomfortable, awkward, and loaded with coded racism. Chris meets Logan, the only other Black man there, but Logan behaves bizarrely — dressed like an old-fashioned gentleman and speaking unnaturally. When Chris takes a photo of him, the camera flash breaks Logan’s trance, and he suddenly screams, “Get out!”
Chris starts piecing things together. Something terrible is happening here.
The Horrifying Truth
Chris discovers a stash of photos in Rose’s room showing her with several other Black partners — men and women. She’s been luring them in for years. The Armitage family isn’t just weird — they’re part of a cult-like operation that transfers the consciousness of aging white people into the bodies of young Black victims.
Dean performs the surgery, Missy handles the hypnosis, and Jeremy (Rose’s brother) helps with abductions. Rose, the bait, brings victims home under the guise of relationships. The “servants” — Georgina and Walter — are actually Rose’s grandparents, whose minds were transplanted into Black bodies.
Movie Ending
When Chris realizes the truth, it’s too late — Missy hypnotizes him again. He wakes up strapped to a chair in the basement, where a TV screen plays a video explaining the “Coagula Procedure” — the method used to transplant white consciousness into Black bodies.
Dean prepares the surgery, while Chris tricks Missy by stuffing cotton from the chair’s armrests into his ears, blocking the sound of her hypnosis cue. He breaks free, kills Dean, Missy, and Jeremy in a violent, cathartic rampage, and sets the house on fire.
As Chris tries to escape, Rose appears with a rifle, chasing him while Walter (her grandfather’s consciousness) joins her. Chris flashes his phone light at Walter, breaking his trance. In a shocking moment, Walter shoots Rose, then turns the gun on himself.
As Chris kneels beside the dying Rose, she weakly smiles, still trying to manipulate him. He resists, choking her but stops before finishing her off. Just as police lights approach, we brace for tragedy — it looks like Chris will be wrongfully arrested. But in a brilliant twist, it’s his friend Rod (Lil Rel Howery) from the TSA, coming to the rescue.
The two drive away, leaving the burning Armitage estate behind. It’s a tense, satisfying ending that perfectly blends horror and justice.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, Get Out does not have any post-credits scenes. Once the credits roll, the story is complete. Jordan Peele intentionally chose to end on Rod’s rescue, giving audiences relief after such a tense experience.
Type of Movie
Get Out is a psychological horror / social thriller with sharp satire. It combines elements of body horror, suspense, and racial commentary, all wrapped in a chilling narrative.
Cast
- Daniel Kaluuya as Chris Washington
- Allison Williams as Rose Armitage
- Bradley Whitford as Dean Armitage
- Catherine Keener as Missy Armitage
- Caleb Landry Jones as Jeremy Armitage
- Lil Rel Howery as Rod Williams
- Lakeith Stanfield as Andre / Logan
- Betty Gabriel as Georgina
- Marcus Henderson as Walter
Film Music and Composer
The haunting score was composed by Michael Abels in his debut film composition. The soundtrack blends traditional African chants, eerie strings, and minimalist percussion. The main theme, “Sikiliza Kwa Wahenga” (Swahili for “Listen to the Ancestors”), adds a sense of ancestral dread that perfectly complements the story’s racial themes.
Filming Locations
Get Out was primarily filmed in Fairhope and Mobile, Alabama, though it’s set in upstate New York. The secluded Southern estate provides both luxury and isolation — the perfect metaphor for a false sense of safety. The tranquil forest surroundings enhance the movie’s eerie stillness and isolation.
Awards and Nominations
Get Out received universal acclaim and several major awards:
- Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (Jordan Peele)
- Nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Kaluuya), and Best Director
- BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Film and Best Actor
It became a landmark in horror filmmaking and one of the few horror films to be a strong Oscar contender.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Jordan Peele wrote the film in just a few weeks but spent five years refining it.
- The “Sunken Place” was inspired by the feeling of being silenced or ignored in racial conversations.
- Daniel Kaluuya’s tearful hypnosis scene was done in one take.
- The film’s alternate ending (see below) was shot first before Peele decided on the theatrical version.
- Peele referred to the movie as a mix of The Stepford Wives and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.
Inspirations and References
The film draws inspiration from:
- The Stepford Wives (1975) – for its suburban horror and social satire
- Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) – for its racial and generational tension
- Classic horror films by Stanley Kubrick and John Carpenter for psychological tension
- Real-world racial microaggressions and fetishization of Black bodies
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
In the original ending, police actually arrive instead of Rod. Chris is arrested for the murders, and the film ends with him in prison, at peace with his decision to stop the Armitages. Peele changed the ending after early screenings, deciding audiences needed hope, not despair, in such a politically charged story.
Deleted scenes include more backstory about Rod’s TSA job and an extended conversation between Chris and Rose early in the film.
Book Adaptations and Differences
Get Out is not based on a book. However, its storytelling echoes the spirit of sociopolitical horror literature, like Octavia Butler’s Kindred or Ira Levin’s The Stepford Wives.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Chris sinking into The Sunken Place for the first time
- The “garden party” where guests examine Chris
- Georgina’s tear-filled smile as she says, “No, no, no, no, no…”
- The photo discovery scene revealing Rose’s true nature
- The final escape and Rod’s comedic but heroic arrival
Iconic Quotes
- Missy: “Now… sink into the floor.”
- Chris: “Rose, get the keys. Get the keys!”
- Rod: “I told you not to go in that house!”
- Dean: “By the way, I would have voted for Obama a third time if I could.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The deer that Chris hits at the beginning foreshadows his empathy for victims and later his revenge using the deer head.
- The teacup Missy uses symbolizes white control and “civilized” domination.
- Georgina’s malfunctioning smile mirrors the inner struggle of the suppressed consciousness.
- The Sunken Place has become a metaphor in real life for social marginalization — Peele confirmed it represents systemic oppression.
Trivia
- Jordan Peele became the first Black writer to win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
- Filming took only 23 days.
- The movie grossed over $250 million worldwide on a $4.5 million budget.
- The film’s genre-bending nature led to debate: was it horror, thriller, or comedy? Peele’s answer: “It’s a documentary.”
Why Watch?
Because Get Out is more than a movie — it’s an experience. It’s suspenseful, witty, terrifying, and thought-provoking. It’ll make you laugh, scream, and question your own assumptions. Few films manage to entertain and enlighten at the same time, and Get Out does both masterfully.
Director’s Other Movies
- Us (2019)
- Nope (2022)
- Candyman (2021) – producer
Recommended Films for Fans
- The Stepford Wives (1975)
- Us (2019)
- Nope (2022)
- Hereditary (2018)
- The Invitation (2015)
- Midsommar (2019)
- Parasite (2019)
