Movie Review #57 US With Talking Flick Appearance

US (2019) Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, and Directed, Produced, and written by Jordan Peele

In 2017, Director Jordan Peele made my favorite movie of the year (Get Out 7.0), it was smart, poignant, and remarkably moving (perhaps not incredibly re-watchable as its one knock once you know the twist). Because of how much I loved Get Out, I had raised expectations for Peele’s 2^nd major film US. I think those raised expectations are the biggest reason I didn’t love this film, but they are not the only reason. 

MILD SPOILERS (I keep the spoilers very mild but read at your own risk)

The story centers around Adelaide Wilson and her doppelganger Red (a tour de force Lupita Nyong’o performance). The gimmick here is that everyone has a “tethered” doppelganger who live in tunnels under the known world as part of this presumed government control “mole people” program?? (it isn’t very well explained). At some point, these “tethered” feel that their time has come and they start their revenge on the living the good life “un-tethered” (still following?). Peele never really forms a complete story or back story, or even side plot story clear enough to set the rules of this world very well. The family who also features Winston Duke (Black Panther) and great performances by Evan Alex and Shahadi Wright Joseph as the duel kids are the most interesting thing in this film by far, but Peele, at times, chooses to steer away from them and expand on a universe that I’m not sure any of us could follow or cared about, including Peele. Peele does get perhaps mildly political (as he previously did as good as anyone ever has in the horror genre) with this mild attack on maybe “divided America” today, although I didn’t really feel anything from that or any other mild statements made in this film, because I was getting more and more frustrated as the 2^nd and 3^rd acts were given to me. Peele may have had an interesting premise here and the style, sound, casting, and cinematography are very commendable, but the story was either incomplete or unnecessarily over stuffed. Perhaps he did have a cut of this film where we just focused on the family but maybe it didn’t test well so he added this weird, convoluted and unexplained conspiracy element to it for some reason? Peele is a great talent and again the performances (given the degree of difficulty) are excellent, but I left US disappointed for the most part. SEE IT (but don’t rush).

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) A very commendable 1^stAct, a brilliant soundtrack, and strong performances save this film from the “disappointments” category (anything that rates below a 5.0). I feel good about Peele going forward and I look forward to the CBS All Access Twilight Zone show coming in a few weeks (in fact US may have worked better as an episode rather than a feature film). I’ll give US a reasonable 5.5 on The Shawshank Scale and hope for a better story next time around. (Unlike many of my colleagues Peele won’t get a free pass from me, but I, like many are still rooting for him!). 

Let me know your thoughts on US! Submit a comment below. 

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY GUEST APPEARANCE ON TALKING FLICK!  

Talking Flick: Listen to my guest spot on Talking Flick a great movie podcast where we talk about Jordan Peel's US! Available on iTunes, Sticher, Anchor, or wherever you listen to Podcasts Links below. 

Podcast on Anchor    (The US Episode)
Podcast on Itunes    (The US Episode)