Jordan Peele’s latest film Nope gets a big yup from me. I’ve been fangirling over Peele since he released Get Out and have been highly anticipating his third feature film since it was announced. With little knowledge of what to expect out of the plot of the film, I knew it would involve something otherworldly, but that’s about it. Thanks to an advance screening hosted by the film’s liquor partner, SKYY Vodka, I can regale you with what to expect from the film, along with some of my thoughts. (You’re welcome.)
Plot
The film opens with a flashback on the set of an old sitcom called Gordy, where the title character is a chimpanzee. Unfortunately, there was an incident one day on set and the chimp went wild and harmed the actors on set. Flash forward to present day and one of the unharmed child actors on set that day, Ricky “Jupe” Park, is now running a kistchy wild west-theme park called Jupiter’s Claim.
Nearby, Otis Jr., who goes by OJ, and his sister Emerald, work with their father on a horse farm who supplies horses for Hollywood movie sets. One evening OJ witnesses his father die in a mysterious freak accident and him and his sister inherit the farm, and all of the responsibilities that come along with it. OJ is a brooding type of few words, while Emerald is the gregarious, annoying but endearing younger sister. After experiencing a few more strange phenomena at the farm (or more accurately, above the farm), the two siblings, who are strapped for money, embark on a mission to capture whatever it is they are witnessing on camera.
With the help of an overeager tech store employee, and a renowned but bitter filmmaker, the two embark on their quest to capture the otherworldly on camera, and there’s no going back.
Spoiler-Free Review
While Nope certainly has elements of a traditional Jordan Peele movie, this is a departure from his previous two films. It’s more of a sci-fi thriller than a horror movie. And like all Peele films, there’s more under the surface than the main plot. There are definitely undertones of racial prejudices in the film, but it’s less overt than in his prior movies. Instead, this movie, in addition to its alien plot, is about fame and the perils of becoming or seeking to become famous. But more on that later.
The acting in Nope is outstanding. Comprised of a small cast, namely Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun and newcomer Brandon Perea, everyone shines. Kaluuya continues to impress, even when not given a huge amount of dialogue to work with. His expressive face does the heavy lifting in this film and I would be surprised if he doesn’t become known as one of the greatest actors of our time. Palmer, on the other hand, has a lot to work with here and she does a bang up job. She somehow strikes the perfect balance between her character’s grating qualities and captivates audiences with her charm. Perea provides a good performance, as well, often giving audiences comic relief throughout the film.
And like Peele films before, the soundtrack is fire.
Spoilers Ahead!
Okay, if you don’t want any spoilers stop reading now. As I mentioned earlier, the film alluded to problems with fame. This is seen throughout the movie, most notably during scenes with Jupe, who capitalizes on his prior brush with death on the show Gordy. Flashbacks from the set are hard to watch, and show a younger, terrified Jupe in a horrific situation. In present day, his office is a shrine to his prior days as a child star, and a private room pays a chilling homage to Gordy. Jupe brags about being offered big bucks from people who want to spend the night among the set paraphernalia. It sparks striking similarities to those who fetishize famous serial killers or go on trips to scenes of horrific crimes, now known as murder or dark tourism.
Jupe is so desparate to remain in the spotlight, he now flirts with danger by hosting a show at his ranch, sacrificing horses to the otherworldly beings in the sky. It shows how humans will do anything for fame, even at the risk of humanity itself.
And he’s not the only one searching for the spotlight. OJ and Emerald are determined to capture proof of other life before anyone else so they can reap the benefits – namely getting on Oprah and getting paid a hefty sum. But as the film transpires, you start to question why they would risk so much just to be the first people to get “the money shot.” Is it worth it?
And then you have Antlers Holst, played by Michael Wincott, the renowned filmmaker who decides to help this motley crew capture the impossible. Unsatisfied with what he has captured, Holst runs off to get into the belly of the beast in order to capture the perfect shot, sacrificing himself for the “art.” Is leaving a legacy behind worth all that?
The ending of the film brings a little hope, though. Once all is done and dusted, you see Emerald, who has finally documented proof of other life, instead turn and smile at her brother, rather than grab the photos and turn towards the circling news reporters. It makes me think that at the end, she chose family over fame. But who really knows.
Pro tip: Make sure to pay close attention to the background details in Nope. There are fun little easter eggs scattered throughout. For example, in one scene OJ can be seen wearing a shirt that says Jordan across the back, while Jupe’s rodeo shirt is actually embroidered with the plot of the film. You can see clouds, a UFO and objects falling from the sky on the back of it. It’s one of those movies I’d be eager to see again to discover what else is hidden in plain sight.
And thanks to SKYY Vodka, you can score specialty cocktails at participating theaters nationwide. Fans also have the opportunity to win free tickets to the movie by texting SKYYFRESH to 24272 through August 5th. However, if you want to recreate their signature cocktail, the Cos-NOPE-olitan at home, we got you covered:
COS-Nope-OLITAN
1.5 parts SKYY® Vodka
0.75 part Grand Marnier® Cordon Rouge
0.75 part Lime juice
0.75 part Cranberry cocktail, such as Ocean Spray
1 dash of Ube Concentrate
Pinch of Gold-Luster Edible Glitter
Garnish: Cotton Candy Cloud with Pennant Flags
Prepare a Martini glass with cotton candy cloud. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into prepared martini glass. Garnish with cotton candy cloud.
