US by jordan peele

The red jumpsuits didn't automatically bring Trump to my mind. The connection does seem obvious, but the symbolism of the color red, particularly in a horror context, are vague enough that I wouldn't just flatly equate the two.

I do agree that the "We're Americans" line felt awkward, but specifically because that moment felt markedly more pointed and topical than the rest of the symbolism, including the red jumpsuits.

Could the red suits be a nod to Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, wherein the slave apes wear red jumpsuits?

I do agree that the "We're Americans" line felt awkward, but specifically because that moment felt markedly more pointed and topical than the rest of the symbolism, including the red jumpsuits.

Exactly, and that line alone is what suggests the jumpsuits are MAGA red. yes, of course the color red has many, many symbolic meanings, but that line - which comes out of nowhere - invites a Trumpist/"red America" reading of the rest of the (much more vague) symbolism in the movie.

Pointed and topical is not inherently bad. I'm not ceding an inch on this--that line has to stay. If you want, keep it in for dummies like me. I mean, you've just said that the line is what gives the jumpsuits their meaning...I don't know why you'd prefer vague symbolism to something concrete. It's not like he piles on one Trump reference after another.

I was thinking that maybe the ending operates on a Fight Club level. Edward Norton does battle with Brad Pitt (sometimes), in the end they're the same person. I think, anyway--I hate Fight Club.

Being pointed and topical can be amazing (Get Out), but imo Peele doesn't follow through on that line. The line doesn't give their jumpsuits their meaning, but it's the only point we have to go off of. The line makes it obvious there's something to the horror beyond a genre exercise, so................... what is it? and the twist totally complicates all of this.

I don't know why you'd prefer vague symbolism to something concrete

More to think about. But again, it's not that there isn't much to mull over here, I just have no idea what Peele wants us to mull over in the first place.

Saw it again. Now that i wasn't trying to guess the damn twist, I loved it. Genuinely unsettling.

I like the ending. I think though the key to the awkwardness of how previous dialogue seems not to make sense is that Adelaide actually doesn't remember she is the kidnapper until the end. Whereas Red has been underground for 30+ years not talking so it stands to reason her voice is labored from disuse. And she's probably gone a little mad.

It STILL doesn't work perfectly but hey, there have been much more egregious "unreliable narrator" twists.

I did like how Adelaide's language degrades into a primal scream when killing Red. A bit of remembrance of her past prior to having to "act" as Adelaide again when she finds her son.

Vox (yea fuck off) pointed out the line to Elizabeth Moss about "sometimes having trouble talking" might have been subconsciously
a literal statement. Since she had to learn English after being almost ten years behind her peers. Plus old instincts etc

not bad, but nowhere near as good as Get Out

twist was so east to guess cmon

Neanderthal's post makes me understand something very basic that I was missing for some reason--they simply switched places in that funhouse 30 years ago. I was fixated on the idea that mom was somehow simultaneously herself and shadow-mom at the same time. So the ending isn't illogical; you can complain about it on other grounds, but it does make sense, I guess.

Why did Adelaide stay in the tunnels all those years when Red was able to escape fairly easily?

“we’re americans” is an amazing and awesome line

that it’s difficult to derive a single clear message from this movie is... good

and i’m just gonna say i liked this better than get out

The line doesn't give their jumpsuits their meaning, but it's the only point we have to go off of. The line makes it obvious there's something to the horror beyond a genre exercise, so................... what is it? and the twist totally complicates all of this.

you want an explainer not a movie

I agree that the thematic ambiguity is good. I did find the actual script needlessly overburdened with content to interpret, incl "we're americans" tbh. things left unstated are much more unsettling.

I think “we’re Americans” works as deadpan, that’s how my engaged crowd seemed to take it, any other level aside.

Why did Adelaide stay in the tunnels all those years when Red was able to escape fairly easily?

― Chris L, Monday, March 25, 2019 7:38 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

She was handcuffed to her bed. Presumably someone eventually helped her out of it but perhaps it had been so long that she had no idea how she would get out and find her parents?

From 14 on she seemed more interested in inspiring the others.

that it’s difficult to derive a single clear message from this movie is... good

Yeah, agreed. I mean, does everyone finish their first watch of The Shining frustrated that the message isn’t clear?

“We’re Americans” sets up that there are two classes of people who are tethered but do not visibly overlap. While watching it, I thought the Tethered were from a world where slaves were never freed...but in the end the story feels as much about class as race. You grow up in the underworld, you don’t get to heal your face, and so on. And what does the main family owe that underworld, whether they are their ancestors or themselves if not for good luck?

I think “we’re Americans” works as deadpan.

That too, definitely.

/The line doesn't give their jumpsuits their meaning, but it's the only point we have to go off of. The line makes it obvious there's something to the horror beyond a genre exercise, so................... what is it? and the twist totally complicates all of this./

you want an explainer not a movie

Go watch Magic Mike then

But there’s only two of them

Just skimmed this--unqualified rave.

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/review-jordan-peeles-us-is-a-colossal-cinematic-achievement

Just saw this, flopson otm about the twist being easy to spot. Seemed like an obv possibility from the start if you’ve like ever seen anything before, and then when she’s finishing off the one twin and grunting just like the tethered ppl do and the son comes in and stares at her horrified, clearly suggesting that he’s starting to figure something out, and then they keep on piling on massive hints from there... cmon is right

I liked how the men were awful on both sides

I'm in love with Gus.

Gabe rather

he was great

here's my review fwiw

(The Dad from Get Out) I just thought Get Out had so much more to say about white liberalism.

-@samzorn

— Gretchen Felker-Martin (@scumbelievable) March 25, 2019

I really liked this and found the way it fit together (or didn’t) really satisfying but I could definitely have done with more of the shadow family because I found them really frightening esp the husband and daughter

Elizabeth Moss’s fake devastation turning to mocking laughter - you know it’s coming, I feel like I’ve seen this so many times but the way she did it was great

Actually I’m not sure the devastation was fake

her best screen performance

can we change thread title to ‘Us’

Film people are really into ALL CAPS TITLES idgi myself

ya but in this case it’s confusing because titles only two letters so it looks like an abbrev. bothers me

It's just a titling convention, sheesh

it's not tho is the thing

see promotional material for the film and listings.

simon was saying what wins said. it's true that the title and thematic concerns of this movie mean that the standard titling convention creates confusion. the world's just a big ol mystery :(

peruse new answers and you'll see several all-caps movies and TV titles

i realize it’s insanely pedantic ok

Are we all tethered now

saw it again. decided that the ending isn’t illogical at all really, it makes the film make sense

my main take was that an excellent way to have your audience leave with a more positive impression of your film than they previously had is by sticking Les Fleurs on at the end of it

saw it tonight

flappy is nutso w/ this relentless "MAGA red jumpsuit" thing, as if jumpsuits or any red clothing items beyond transplant-protecting caps were associated with Trump

there's a broader melange of on-the-nose allusions: people wearing prison-style jumpsuits, chained and tethered and joined to each other, an underclass marked by this clothing and colour rising up

good night

good morning!

sic otm

also on top of the excellent performances from the central cast, tim heidecker and elizabeth moss are both phenomenal in this

Heidecker was born to play a murderous subterranean ape who is also somehow still just an asshole

I don't know if I ultimately more than merely liked the movie, but there was enough going for it that I loved, important stuff, like acting and direction and score, that I'd still recommend it to someone. I mostly wished there was less explaining and more sticking to the metaphors and fairy tale motifs.

I actually like it more the morning after than I did right after I saw it. Plenty of fuel for thought in this one, and I look forward to reading a bunch of think pieces. Honestly I agree that the MAGA metaphor is the most coherent one at work here (bar the unnecessary twist), but obviously there's a lot of other stuff going on as well.