“The Get Out” follows Manco Kapak, who is on the verge of leaving his dangerous past behind when masked gunmen rob and drag him between cartels and a mysterious newcomer who want to buy his business.
In just the first five minutes, “The Get Out” is jarring. It starts with an ambient, bustling nightclub scene. Narration from Russell Crowe casts a mysterious, ominous tone over the vibrant visuals. It then shifts into an in-your-face, intentionally comedic sex scene right before the title card appears. There’s so much going on in such a short period of time, and this doesn’t really change.
The 102-minute runtime is overstuffed with ideas. This makes “The Get Out” entertaining, with the cast bringing energy to every new scenario. However, it also keeps it tonally inconsistent. This is largely because director Derrick Borte’s style doesn’t match his and Daniel Forte’s screenplay. The performances, editing and score are executed comedically, yet the story itself is anything but. With scenes ebbing and flowing between over-the-top ludicrousness and gritty thriller, the narrative never feels organic.
Crowe continues to take on diverse projects, recently portraying Nazi official Hermann Göring in 2025’s “Nuremberg” and an MMA coach in 2026’s “Beast.” Now, in “The Get Out,” he is an Albanian nightclub owner. Out of the three, this performance is probably the most versatile. Crowe is composed and mild-mannered, but there’s also a sort of deadpan nature to his delivery. Many jokes land thanks to his approach, utilizing simple phrases and exaggerated facial expressions in response to events.
Fans of “Breaking Bad” will be pleased, as flashes of Aaron Paul’s (Jeff) performance are reminiscent of his portrayal of Jesse Pinkman. He carries desperation and frustration through his words, which matches the anxious energy of the character. Nina Dobrev (Carrie) is the definition of eccentric. Nearly every line that she mutters is humorous, perfectly matching the offbeat, bizarre behavior of her character. These two appear together many times in “The Get Out,” with their opposite demeanors being the source of many laughs.
“Can you imagine just being part of something so exciting? I mean, it makes me wet just thinking about it.”
Also appearing are Luke Evans (Joe Carver), Teresa Palmer (Sunny), Daniel Zovatto (Rodriguez), Josh McConville (Slosser) and Benedict Hardie (Spence).
Director of photography Brendan Galvin keeps scenes flowing with tracking shots that follow the onscreen movement. Inside the neon-lit club, the camera sweeps around the environment and crowd. As the narrative progresses, it grows less structured and more frantic. Implementing handheld footage into the action, “The Get Out” contains several visual styles that blend well.
Bryan Senti’s score is almost sitcom-like. It’s constantly present through extended sequences of dialogue, acting as a funny backdrop to the characters’ conversations. There are layers to the auditory rhythms, featuring electronic, synth-heavy beats that are heard from every direction. In fact, they often change the interpretation of sequences entirely. As characters carry on a tense discussion, lighthearted music lingers after every word. It takes some getting used to, but Senti’s compositions prove to be a fundamental piece of the movie’s unserious identity.
If seeking an “intelligent” thriller, then “The Get Out” isn’t going to be for you. The story relies on characters making countless wrong decisions, which serves as the entire foundation for several onscreen identities. For many, this will be a perfectly suitable B-movie. Others might be scratching their heads at every poor choice that is made.
“The Get Out” is a movie of two minds. The overall aesthetic is zany while the plot is staid, but the performances make it coherently enjoyable along the way.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
