Get Out validated my innate suspicion of white women dating black men. But that’s not the only reason I was disappointed with the movie. With an initial 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the movie being deemed “a new genre of horror film,” I expected an extraordinary movie. Instead, I left the theater feeling that Get Out had been overhyped.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Get Out’s director, Jordan Peele, brilliantly displays what it’s like to be black in a post-racial America. From racial profiling to off-putting comments about black physical traits, Peele skillfully captures the real stresses I experience as a black individual in the U.S.

I racked my brain for the longest, trying to figure out what I was missing – what was it that made people marvel at this movie? And then I thought about the white guy who kept turning around trying to laugh with me and my friends. No, our laughter was not meant to be shared with you. We were laughing at our pain because what you found entertaining, was a reality for us.

Get Out photo from movie

The concept of racism disguised as white liberalism is not new to me and it is not something I want to laugh about with a white stranger. I navigate a matrix of micro-aggressions on a daily basis. So much so that in 2017, Merriam-Webster added it as a new word in the dictionary. For some, this was their first time being exposed to the social critiques that Get Out depicts. For me, I found the movie to be an uncomfortable accurate reflection of my life.

“Funny, scary, and thought-provoking, Get Out seamlessly weaves its trenchant social critiques into a brilliantly effective and entertaining horror/comedy thrill ride.”

–Rotten Tomatoes

Yes, this movie was horrifying. But not because of hypnotism, missing black bodies, or unorthodox neurosurgery. This movie was scary as hell because it hyperbolized micro-aggressions, cultural appropriation and modern-day slave auctions that eerily reminded me of the NBA and NFL drafts.

Although I feel Get Out was overhyped by white liberals overcompensating for their whiteness, I highly recommend going to see the movie. As you watch, remember that art imitates life. Recognize Get Out’s imitation and think about how the issues raised in the movie affects real people’s lives. That’s just some food for thought that I would have loved to pour into the random white guy’s popcorn bowl.

Lastly, laugh. There are some really funny parts in this movie that keep it from being too dark. But don’t be so quick to laugh with strangers. Their laughter may have a different meaning, a different purpose.