Jordan Peele’s Us explores how American privilege relies on the suffering of others.
In short: In this psychological horror film, a family vacation turns into a nightmare when they are hunted by their own doppelgängers. These intruders, known as the Tethered, are not just monsters; they are a chilling metaphor for the hidden costs of societal comfort and the dark duality of the American experience.
The story centers on Adelaide Wilson, who encounters a double of herself in a funhouse as a child. Decades later, she and her family are besieged by the Tethered, a group of duplicates who emerge from underground to reclaim their lives. These doubles are revealed to be the result of a failed government experiment, left to mimic their counterparts while surviving on raw rabbit meat in subterranean tunnels. The film’s antagonist, Red, is the only Tethered capable of speech, having organized her people to rise up and slaughter their surface-dwelling equivalents.
Director Jordan Peele designed the film as a deliberate exploration of American privilege. He suggests that the comfort enjoyed by some is often built upon the deprivation of others, with the Tethered serving as a physical manifestation of this imbalance. By portraying the privileged and the marginalized as two sides of the same coin, the film forces viewers to confront the luck of their own circumstances. Peele draws on diverse cultural touchstones, from the 1986 Hands Across America demonstration to Michael Jackson, to ground his horror in a recognizable, yet distorted, version of reality.
The film’s production was as meticulous as its themes. Lupita Nyong'o, who played both Adelaide and Red, drew inspiration from the vocal condition spasmodic dysphonia to give her antagonist a distinct, raspy voice. While the film received widespread critical acclaim and grossed over $256 million worldwide, it also sparked debate. Some critics felt the narrative was overstuffed with ideas, and disability advocacy groups criticized the use of a medical condition for character development, leading to an apology from Nyong'o. Ultimately, the film remains a complex, genre-defying work that invites audiences to look beneath the surface of their own lives.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Us (2019 film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/art-us-2019-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Visual arts · More in Art · Latest · A–Z · All topics
