Story Structure Analysis: Get Out
Format: Movie
Released: 2017
Screenplay By: Jordan Peele
Directed By: Jordan Peele
Run Time: 100 minutes
Character: Chris Washington
Plot summary of the 2017 film Get Out continues below…
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Get Out Story Structure Analysis
DRAMATIC PHASE ONE: THE SETUP
All of the main characters are introduced. The story world and its mechanics are established. Foundations are laid for the main throughline, subplots and central conflict.
We are introduced to interracial couple Chris Washington and Rose Armitage, who seem to genuinely be in love. They are preparing for a weekend trip to meet Rose’s parents. Chris friend Rod warns Chris against going to visit the rich white family. The topic of race is established as a central theme of the story and becomes a factor when Chris meets Rose’s family. It’s revealed the Armitage’s are having an annual party. Rose’s mom hypnotizes Chris and sends him into the sunken place.
Get Out: Story Structure Analysis
ACT ONE: DEALING WITH AN IMPERFECT SITUATION
A character in an Imperfect Situation faces Oppressive Opposition as he pursues an Initial Goal. But when there is a Disturbance to his routine, he faces a Dilemma regarding his situation, and must assume a New Role.
Black photographer Chris Washington is concerned about prejudices (the imperfect situation) and racial biases he may encounter (oppressive opposition) when he goes to meet his white girlfriend’s family at their countryside estate (initial goal). But when Rose hits a deer and they meet a prejudice cop (the disturbance), Rose asks him if he’s having second thoughts when they arrive at the house (the dilemma) and he becomes a guest of the Armitages (the new role).
The Imperfect Situation: Chris is reluctant to meet Rose’s parents at their house, especially because Rose says she hasn’t told them he is black. Chris’ friend Rod is adamant that Chris shouldn’t have gone on the trip. When Rose hits a deer en route, the responding officer requests to see Chris’s ID despite the fact he wasn’t driving. This is shocking to Rose who seems to have no experience with this type of discrimination.
Initial Goal: Prepare for and go on a trip to Rose’s parents’ house.
Oppressive Opposition: Rod tells Chris he shouldn’t go to the house. The police officer asks to see Chris’ ID for no reason.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Disturbance: 8 minutes (8%) – On the way to the Armitage place, Chris and Rose hit a dear. It reminds him of his mom’s death. Afterward the responding officer asks to see Chris’ ID despite the fact he wasn’t driving. Rose appears to come to Chris’ defense, but actually doesn’t want the police to have a record of Chris’ name on file when he goes missing.
Turning Point One – The Dilemma: 13 minutes (13%) – Chris agreeing to go on the trip before the movie begins is the actual Dilemma, but this is reiterated when Chris and Rose arrive at the house and she asks him if he’s ready.
The New Role: Chris becomes a distrusting guest at the Armitage’s house.
Act Run Time: 14 minutes (14%)
Get Out: Story Structure Analysis
ACT TWO: LEARNING THE RULES OF AN UNFAMILIAR SITUATION
The character Learns the Rules of an Unfamiliar Situation and faces Incidental Opposition in pursuit of a Transitional Goal. But when he receives a Reality Check, he makes a Commitment to his New Role.
Act Start Time: 14 minutes (14%)
Chris meets Rose’s parents and their black servants (the unfamiliar situation) who all come off a little strange (incidental opposition) as he gets to know Rose’s family (transitional goal). But after Rose’s brother Jeremy begins making disparaging comments with racial overtones over dinner (the reality check) Chris sees the servants behaving oddly that evening and is hypnotized by Rose’s mom (the commitment).
The Unfamiliar Situation: Chris has never been to Rose parents’ house. They have black servants who act very abnormal. Rose’s brother is even weirder. There is a lot of seemingly innocuous, racially charged talk. He gets hypnotized for the first time.
Transitional Goal: Get to know Rose’s family.
Incidental Opposition: Despite the Armitage’s outward appearance and seeming benevolence, the strange things Chris witnesses make him begin to question their intentions.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Reality Check: 22 minutes (22%) – Over dinner, Chris gets acquainted with Rose’s brother who’s a weird jerk who tries to wrestle with him.
Turning Point Two – The Commitment: 28 minutes (28%) – Unable to sleep, Chris goes out for some air (with cigarette smoke in it). He is startled to see Walter running through the yard for no reason.
When he returns to the house he is surprised by Rose’s mom and hypnotized by her when he stops to chat. He relives his mom’s death and is temporarily sent to the sunken place, inadvertently undergoing the first phase in the Coagula process.
Act Run Time: 22 minutes (22%)
Get Out: Story Structure
DRAMATIC PHASE TWO: CONFRONTATION
The character is thrown in the middle of the Central Conflict and is placed at direct odds with the forces of antagonism. He undergoes a series of successes and failures as he works toward resolving the main throughline.
Chris becomes increasingly suspicious of the Armitages, their housekeepers and their party guests due to the strange racially charged atmosphere at the house. Despite Georgina’s attempts to limit his communications with the outside world, he begins investigating with the help of Rod. As he slowly pieces together the scope of what’s going on, the Armitage reveal their true intentions to hold him prisoner indefinitely.
Get Out: Story Structure Analysis
ACT THREE: STUMBLING INTO THE CENTRAL CONFLICT
The character stumbles into the Central Conflict and faces Intentional Opposition in pursuit of a False Goal. But when there is a grave Turn of events, he has a Moment of Truth.
Act Start Time: 36 minutes (36%)
Chris meets the wealthy members of the Coagula group (the central conflict) and is forced to interact with them without contact to the outside world (intentional opposition) as he tries to get to the bottom of all the racial strangeness going on (false goal). But when Georgina repeatedly unplugs his phone and one of the black guests at the party attacks him after Chris takes his picture (the turn), Chris attempts to get Rose to leave with him while the Coagula member bid on Chris’s body (the moment of truth).
The Central Conflict: Chris meets the Coagula group who, unbeknownst to him, are bidding for his body.
False Goal: Attend the party and figure out all the racial strangeness going on.
Intentional Opposition: Georgina unplugs Chris’ phone. The Armitages attempt to steer Chris into conversations with the Coagula members.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Turn: 48 minutes (48%) – While the party’s in full swing, Chris returns to his room to find his phone unplugged again. All the other guest stop talking when he goes upstairs. Back at the party, Chris takes a picture of Logan. The flash frees the Andre inside of Logan who lunges at Chris and tells him to get out. After some time in Rose’s mom’s office, Logan is “himself” again. He apologizes to Chris and leaves the party.
Turning Point Three – The Moment of Truth: 57 minutes (57%) – Rose and Chris go for a walk while the others play “bingo”. Chris tells Rose he needs to go, while at the party there is a silent auction with a large photograph of Chris on display.
Chris tells Rose about the night his mom died. They profess their love for each other and she agrees to leave with him to go back to the city.
Act Run Time: 26 minutes (26%)
Get Out: Story Structure Analysis
ACT FOUR: IMPLEMENTING A DOOMED PLAN
The character implements a Doomed Plan and faces Self-Inflicted Opposition in pursuit of a Penultimate Goal. But when an unthinkable Lowpoint occurs, he pulls himself together and discovers a Newfound Resolve.
Act Start Time: 62 minutes (62%)
Chris attempts to leave (the doomed plan) and willingly reenters the house (self-inflicted opposition) to pack up and leave with Rose (penultimate goal). But when he is barred by the Armitages and Rose reveals she is in on it, he’s captured and bound (the lowpoint) and must come up with a plan while Rod goes to the police (the newfound resolve).
The Doomed Plan: Chris attempts to leave the Armitage house. He is captured and tied to a chair by the Armitages and forced to undergo the next phase of the Coagula procedure.
Penultimate Goal: Leave the Armitage house with Rose.
Self-Inflicted Opposition: Chris trusts that Rose is on his side and willingly reenters the house.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Lowpoint: 66 minutes (66%) – Chris attempts to leave with Rose, but is stopped by the entire Armitage clan.
Rose reveals her treachery when she refuses to give him the car keys. When he tries to fight back against Rose’s brother, he is sent to the sunken place by Rose’s mom.
Turning Point Four – The Newfound Resolve: 75 minutes (75%) – Rod goes to the police with his suspicions. They laugh at his story. Rod attempts to interrogate Rose over the phone but she outsmarts him. Chris awakens and has a teleconference with Jim Hudson who tells him he bought his body and Chris will spend the rest of his life in the sunken place. Chris listens to Jim Hudson explain the Coagula procedure. Afterwards, Chris realizes he can use the cotton from the chair to plug his ears. When the teacup returns, Chris feigns sleep.
Act Run Time: 24 minutes (24%)
Get Out: Story Structure
DRAMATIC PHASE THREE: RESOLUTION
The character engages in a final confrontation with the forces of antagonism to resolve the Central Conflict. The main throughline and all additional subplots are resolved. The new status quo is established.
Chris plots and implements his escape from the Armitage house. As the Armitage’s attempt to stop him, he kills them one by one, destroying the house and the Coagula chamber in the process. He is ultimately saved by Rod who drives to the house to rescue him.
Get Out: Story Structure Analysis
ACT FIVE: TRYING A LONGSHOT
The character tries a Longshot and faces Ultimate Opposition while trying to accomplish the Ultimate Goal. But just when it seems All is Lost, he makes a Final Push against the forces of antagonism and either succeeds or fails.
Act Start Time: 86 minutes (86%)
Chris uses cotton to block Missy’s hypnosis and escape his bonds (the longshot) and must face off with the now murderous Armitages (ultimate opposition) to escape their house (ultimate goal). But after Jeremy gets the drop on him, and Chris can’t leave Georgina laying on the side of the road (all is lost) he is chased down by Walter and Rose and uses his camera flash to bring “Walter” to his side (the final push).
The Longshot: Chris uses cotton balls to block Missy’s hypnosis and then attempts to make it past the Armitages and out of the house.
Ultimate Goal: Escape the Armitage house.
Ultimate Opposition: After Chris escapes from the chair, Missy and Jeremy attempt to recapture or kill him. When he makes it out of the house he is attacked by Georgina, Walter, and a gun-toting Rose.
Turning Point Catalyst – All is Lost: 91 minutes (91%) – Jeremy gets the drop on Chris as he’s fleeing the house and attempts to put him in a chokehold to put him to sleep. Chris stabs him in the leg and then stomps him to death.
When he drives off in Jeremy’s Porsche, he hits Georgina on accident. Rose somehow hears this. Reminded of his mother, Chris saves Georgina against his better judgment. When she come to, she causes him to crash the car into a tree.
Turning Point Five – The Final Push: 94 minutes (94%) – Chris awakens after the crash to find Georgina dead and Rose shooting at him. He is chased down and tackled by Walter who threatens to crush his skull. Chris uses the flash from his phone to awaken the real person inside of Walter, who tricks Rose into giving him the gun then shoots her with it before blowing his own and Roman Armitage’s brains out.
Act Run Time: 12 minutes (12%)
Get Out: Story Structure Analysis
ACT SIX: LIVING IN A NEW SITUATION
Having accomplished (or failed to have accomplished) the Ultimate Goal, the character is shown living in a New Situation.
Act Start Time: 98 minutes (98%)
Chris heads back to the city with Rod as Rose lays dying in front of the burning Armitage house (the new situation).
The New Situation: Chris climbs into Rod’s TSA car seeming to have learned a valuable lesson. The two friends drive off as Rose lays dying.
Success/Failure: Success: Chris has defeated the Armitages and escaped with his life and brain intact.
Act Run Time: 2 minutes (2%)
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Full cast and credits for Get Out at IMDB
Read audience and critic reviews for Get Out
ha, well uM that’s erm… A nice movie, very nice movie.