# Us

> 2019 film directed by Jordan Peele

**Wikidata**: [Q56000996](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56000996)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Us_(2019_film))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/us

## Summary
Us is a 2019 American psychological horror film written and directed by Jordan Peele. It stars Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, and Tim Heidecker, and follows a family terrorized by doppelgängers of themselves.

## Key Facts
- Directed by Jordan Peele, his second feature film after *Get Out* (2017)
- Released on March 22, 2019, in the United States by Universal Pictures
- Budget: $20 million; Box office: $255 million worldwide
- Runtime: 116 minutes
- Produced by Monkeypaw Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures
- Filmed in California, primarily in Los Angeles and Santa Cruz
- Lupita Nyong'o won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
- Rotten Tomatoes score: 93% (Certified Fresh)
- Metacritic score: 81/100
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10
- Genre: Horror, psychological horror, thriller
- Language: English
- Country of origin: United States
- IMDb ID: tt6857112
- Wikipedia sitelink count: 39 language editions

## FAQs
**What is the plot of Us?**
The film follows Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong'o) and her family as they are confronted by mysterious doppelgängers called "the Tethered" who emerge from underground tunnels to terrorize them during a beach vacation in Santa Cruz.

**Who are the main cast members?**
The main cast includes Lupita Nyong'o as Adelaide Wilson/Red, Winston Duke as Gabe Wilson/Abraham, Shahadi Wright Joseph as Zora Wilson/Umbrae, Evan Alex as Jason Wilson/Pluto, Elisabeth Moss as Kitty Tyler/Dahlia, and Tim Heidecker as Josh Tyler/Tex.

**What themes does the film explore?**
Us explores themes of duality, identity, class division, American privilege, and the consequences of societal neglect. The Tethered represent the marginalized underclass living in the shadows of the privileged surface world.

**How was the film received critically?**
Critics praised the film for its originality, performances (particularly Nyong'o's), and Peele's direction. It holds a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was named one of the best films of 2019 by numerous publications.

**What is the significance of the rabbits in the film?**
The rabbits serve as both a food source for the Tethered and a symbol of the cycle of life and death. They also reference the "rabbit test" for pregnancy, connecting to themes of birth and creation.

## Why It Matters
Us matters as a sophisticated horror film that transcends genre conventions to deliver sharp social commentary on American society. Jordan Peele established himself as a major auteur with this film, proving that horror could be both commercially successful and intellectually rigorous. The film's exploration of duality and class division resonated deeply in a polarized cultural moment, while its technical achievements—particularly Nyong'o's dual performance—raised the bar for what horror performances could achieve. Us demonstrated that mainstream horror could tackle complex themes about identity, privilege, and the American dream while still delivering genuine scares and entertainment value.

## Notable For
- Jordan Peele's highly anticipated follow-up to his Oscar-winning *Get Out*
- Lupita Nyong'o's critically acclaimed dual performance as Adelaide and Red
- Innovative horror concept featuring doppelgängers called "the Tethered"
- Box office success grossing over $255 million worldwide against a $20 million budget
- Exploration of American social issues through horror allegory
- Memorable imagery including the "Hands Across America" motif
- Technical achievements in sound design and cinematography
- Cultural impact spawning discussions about class, identity, and privilege
- Recognition as one of the best films of 2019 by multiple critics' associations

## Body

### Production and Development
Us was written and directed by Jordan Peele, marking his second feature film after the massive success of *Get Out* (2017). Peele conceived the idea from a childhood fear of doppelgängers and expanded it into a broader allegory about American society. The film was produced by Monkeypaw Productions, Peele's production company founded in 2012, in association with Universal Pictures. Principal photography began in July 2018 and wrapped in October 2018, with filming primarily taking place in Los Angeles and Santa Cruz, California.

### Cast and Performances
Lupita Nyong'o stars as Adelaide Wilson, a woman haunted by a traumatic childhood experience at the Santa Cruz beach. Nyong'o also plays Red, Adelaide's doppelgänger and the leader of the Tethered. Her performance as Red, characterized by a distinctive croaking voice inspired by spasmodic dysphonia, earned widespread critical acclaim and numerous awards. Winston Duke plays Gabe Wilson, Adelaide's husband, and Abraham, his Tethered counterpart. The film also features Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex as the Wilson children, Zora and Jason, along with their doppelgängers Umbrae and Pluto. Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker portray the Tyler family, whose beach house the Wilsons visit.

### Themes and Symbolism
Us operates on multiple thematic levels, using the horror genre to explore complex social issues. The central concept of the Tethered represents the marginalized underclass living in the literal and metaphorical shadows of the privileged surface world. The film examines themes of duality—not just in the doppelgänger concept but in American identity itself, where the nation's ideals of freedom and equality coexist with systemic inequality and historical violence. The "Hands Across America" motif serves as both a nostalgic reference and a critique of performative activism, while the rabbits symbolize the cycle of life, death, and rebirth that traps the Tethered in their underground existence.

### Critical Reception and Impact
Upon release, Us received widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise directed at Peele's direction, the film's originality, and the performances, especially Nyong'o's. The film holds a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 547 reviews, with the consensus stating it "proves Peele's distinctive brand of horror is far from a fluke." Metacritic assigned the film a score of 81 out of 100, indicating "universal acclaim." The film appeared on numerous year-end best lists and received several award nominations, with Nyong'o winning Best Actress from the New York Film Critics Circle and receiving nominations from the Screen Actors Guild and Critics' Choice Awards.

### Box Office Performance
Us was a commercial success, grossing $255 million worldwide against a production budget of $20 million. The film opened to $71.1 million in its first weekend in North America, the best opening ever for an original horror film at the time. Its strong performance demonstrated the commercial viability of original horror concepts and solidified Peele's status as a bankable filmmaker. The film's success also contributed to the ongoing renaissance of elevated horror in mainstream cinema.

### Technical Achievements
The film showcases impressive technical craftsmanship across multiple departments. Cinematographer Mike Gioulakis employed striking visual compositions and camera movements to create tension and unease. The sound design, supervised by Johnnie Burn, plays a crucial role in building atmosphere and dread, with the Tethered's distinctive sounds becoming iconic elements of the film. The production design by Ruth De Jong effectively contrasts the bright, open spaces of the surface world with the claustrophobic, brutalist underground environments of the Tethered. The visual effects, supervised by Grady Cofer, seamlessly blend practical and digital effects to create the film's supernatural elements.

### Cultural Significance
Us entered the cultural conversation as more than just a horror film, sparking discussions about class, identity, and the American experience. The film's allegorical approach to social commentary demonstrated how genre cinema could engage with serious themes while remaining accessible and entertaining. Its exploration of duality and hidden aspects of American society resonated with audiences grappling with questions of privilege, inequality, and national identity. The film's imagery, particularly the red jumpsuits and golden scissors of the Tethered, became instantly recognizable cultural touchstones.

### Distribution and Release
Universal Pictures handled the film's distribution, releasing it in theaters on March 22, 2019, in the United States. The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 8, 2019. Following its theatrical run, Us was released on digital platforms and later on Blu-ray and DVD, allowing for continued analysis and discussion of its themes and symbolism. The film's marketing campaign, which included mysterious trailers and posters, effectively built anticipation while maintaining the film's secrets.

### Legacy and Influence
Us has secured its place as a significant work in contemporary horror cinema, influencing subsequent films that blend genre thrills with social commentary. The film's success helped establish Peele as a major voice in modern filmmaking and contributed to the ongoing recognition of horror as a legitimate vehicle for artistic and intellectual expression. Its exploration of American identity and social issues through horror allegory has inspired other filmmakers to approach similar themes, while its technical and performance achievements continue to be studied and referenced in discussions of the genre.

## References

1. [BBFC database](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/us-film-qxnzzxq6vlgtotk4mtqy)
2. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
3. Entertainment Identifier Registry
4. The Movie Database
5. Us. Rotten Tomatoes
6. [Source](http://nmhh.hu/dokumentum/198182/terjesztett_filmalkotasok_art_filmek_nyilvantartasa.xlsx)
7. [Jordan Peele on Us: ‘This is a very different movie from Get Out'. TheGuardian.com. 2019](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/mar/09/jordan-peele-on-us-this-is-a-very-different-movie-from-get-out)
8. BBC Things
9. Google Knowledge Graph
10. [Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt6857112/)
11. Us
12. [Source](http://www.kijkwijzer.nl/index.php?id=26&i=719479)
13. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
14. [Source](https://www.eirin.jp/list/index.php?s_year=2019&s_month=5&e_year=2019&e_month=5&pageID=2)
15. [Source](https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/visas-et-classification/150534)
16. [Source](http://justica.gov.br/news/collective-nitf-content-1553177640.85)
17. Brazilian Advisory Rating System
18. [Source](https://sede.mcu.gob.es/webicaa/Ficheros/3419/34/3419/1/209.pdf)
19. [Source](http://cnc.abt.ro/registru/index.aspx?pageID=3&filmID=16093)
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21. SoundtrackCollector
22. [Source](http://fpbquery.fpb.org.za/erms/film_details.aspx?ref=82500)
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24. IMDb
25. [Source](https://imdaonline.imda.gov.sg/classification/Search/Film/SearchDetail.aspx?sType=Feature&sRowID=AAAgZnAAAAAADiFAAD)
26. Danish Film Database
27. [Source](https://www.rcq.gouv.qc.ca/RCQ212AfficherFicheTech.asp?intNoFilm=414947)
28. [Source](http://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/9653928300500D26)
29. TheTVDB
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