During a beautiful vacation to Jamaica, June (Melissa Kay Anderson) and her son Leighton (Ian Smalls Jr.) find themselves struggling to determine what comes next. With violence plaguing the American school system, June is afraid to bring her son back to the states, and she considers the possibility that she may never go back again. This Getaway was meant to be just that, a short and simple escape from reality, but this close-knit family has a difficult decision to make.
For anyone with a brain, Getaway is simply a thinly-veiled criticism of the American education and political systems, as well as of law enforcement. From the opening seconds of the film, where viewers can see children hiding under desks, terrified of what lurks outside of their classroom, the world is made aware that Getaway will be used to break down the flaws of the United States in an attempt to make change. However, I don’t think change is really sought after throughout the film. What really comes to life is the idea that turning and running, not fighting for what you believe in, is the right course of action.
There’s a piece of this film that I couldn’t possibly understand, and that’s parenthood. I work with children each and every day, and I see the things that they both struggle with and excel at–but I have no idea what it’s really like to be a parent–because I’m not. That piece of this puzzle eludes me, so there are certainly parts of this film that will feel foreign–but that doesn’t negate the fact that it still sends a message to viewers. Getaway emits cowardice throughout the course of the film–but not in a way that’s necessarily relatable. I can’t get on board with the way in which it chooses to express these sentiments to viewers, and that causes the film, to some degree, to fail.
Aside from the message–and it’s really hard to separate the storyline from the message being presented to viewers–there is something quasi-entertaining about Getaway. On a very simple, almost remedial level, there is a chance for viewers to appreciate the love between a mother and son–because that is the dynamic that drives the film forward. The love between June and Leighton is endearing, and this is the piece of Getaway that has the potential to reach the masses. This is its saving grace, it’s one shot at success.
It’s obvious what the point of Getaway is, even if Writer Malaika Paquiot and Director Stephanie Malson try to slightly deceive viewers in the process. It’s a narrative that is far too forward, far too aggressive, even if it attempts not to be. In the grand scheme of cinema, it’s one of hundreds simply existing in a saturated pocket of entertainment. The Getaway wants to work, but it doesn’t. It employs adequate actors and charming mother-son relationships in order to juxtapose and balance the inadequacies of the film–but it’s not enough. In a world where a seemingly endless number of Getaways exist, this one is not effective.
Directed by Stephanie Malson.
Written by Malaika Paquiot.
Starring Melissa Kay Anderson, Kaci Hamilton, Ian Smalls Jr., Khalisa Rae, etc.
⭐⭐⭐/10
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