Ep9 Positive Cinematic Spotlight: Get Out - a podcast by Academy for Success

Welcome back, Wolf Pack, to another Positive Cinematic Spotlight! Well, it’s October, and you know what that means: Halloween and horror movies. To kick off our horror theme, I turn to a recent Academy award nominated horror movie from director Jordan Peele. That’s right, comedian Jordan Peele brought us a horror film with no comedy in 2017; Get Out starring Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams.


The film features an interracial couple, Chris and Rose, as they go to visit Rose’s family for a weekend. Despite Rose’s assurances that everything would be ok, things did not remain ok for the young black man in rich suburbia.


I debated using this film because of the racial component. I had seen comments about the film suggesting a divisive message, but I did my research. Jordan Peele described the film as a metaphor for the African American community in the United States and the mixed messages hidden behind smiling faces and compliments, not to mention outright racism. Also, the source of inspiration I find in this film is not about the racial thread of the movie, but Daniel Kaluuya’s character Chris Wallace.


There are certain expected tropes when you turn on a movie from the horror genre. Unspoken and repressed hostility is often seen in the group of victims and the main protagonist, who may or may not be the survivor, depending on how the movie ends, has a tortured backstory. I won’t go into specifics in case you haven’t seen it and you are interested. I certainly recommend it. Daniel Kaluuya deserved his Oscar nomination and the praise it has received is truly earned. But as a child, Chris experienced a traumatic event which continues to plague him. In the climax of the film, Chris finds himself in a similar, parallel situation. As with every horror film, this is a moment where we, sitting comfortably at home or theater, possibly eating buttered popcorn, beg and plead and warn the horror movie protagonist, “Don’t do that! Don’t go in there! Keep running! Do something else! This is a bad idea!” But true to horror movie protagonist form, Chris does what we, and even he, knows he shouldn’t do. But unlike the typical horror movie protagonist trope where we are left saying, “Why would she go into the cellar with the busted light bulb without a flashlight and barefoot to see what’s making the growling noise? She’s not too bright,” Chris’s moment should not be labelled a simple lapse of judgment or common sense.


Chris’s moment of doing what we know is a bad idea is actually a sign of strength and personal growth. He basically relives his traumatic event from his youth, but makes the decision he wishes he had made as a child. Sure, it complicates his escape, but his willingness to confront his trauma and fears is a source of inspiration and encouragement.


After all, the teaching profession is not without its elements of fear. This year, many of us are afraid of contracting COVID-19, of seeing our students catch it, our students’ parents, and the possible consequence of the spread. Many of us are afraid of losing our students, both academically and personally, due to increased virtual separation. We fear not being able to keep up with pacing as we juggle traditional, asynchronous, and virtual lessons. But like Chris Wallace, we can confront those fears and not let them overwhelm us. Guaranteed, every teacher who escapes the 2020 - 2021 school year to return for the 2021 - 2022 school year will be stronger. And similar to Chris, not every choice may lead to success, but as long as we refuse to give up, and keep fighting to provide academically enriching, socio-emotional supporting lessons and interactions, we will grow and become stronger, more adept teachers. If you are teaching and you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, and you feel like some ephemeral voice is telling you to “Get Out,” change the script, steel your resolve, and hear instead, “Get Up!”


Thank you for being your best, that you for all that you do, and thank

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