In a departure from his previous comedic claims to fame, director Jordan Peele delivers suffocating suspense in the thriller “Get Out,” making Peele the third person in Oscar history to be nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for a debut film, and it’s for good reason.

The film follows a young black man, Chris, played by Daniel Kaluuya, who accompanies his new, white girlfriend, Rose, played by Allison Williams, on a visit to her parents’ home. Upon arrival, he is met with overly-polite microaggressions from her family and notices their black housekeeper and groundskeeper act distant and inhuman. At a family get-together attended by various members of Rose’s extended family, Chris grows increasingly suspicious of their behavior. With further investigation and several disturbing discoveries, he stumbles on an evil plot the family is conducting to implant white minds into black bodies via hypnotism and surgery.

From the first moments that Chris meets Rose’s family, a tension hangs in the air, differing greatly from other thriller films. The feeling of dread that hangs in the air is not supernatural in nature. Instead, the unease created by the interactions between Chris and Rose’s family reflects the ever-present tension which exists between white and black people. With awkward framing, uncomfortable line deliveries and lingering silences, the apprehension between these characters alone is enough to keep an audience engaged and on the edge of their seats.

Soon, however, the horror elements of the story come into play. The behavior of the black characters living in the family household seem almost in line with “The Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” as they clearly seem to be missing an element of their humanity — a humanity later revealed to have been taken from them by Rose’s family. Just like the main character, the audience spends most of the film in the dark about the meaning behind many of the images and interactions that occur on screen. What drives the movie is a palpable suspense and a gut-wrenching sense of dread, as the audience fears for Chris’s life.

Kaluuya gives a brilliantly compelling performance. Though he takes on the role as the straight man and outsider of the film, he brings an emotional intensity to the role, making the events of the film all the more harrowing.

Kaluuya’s authenticity isn’t the only thing that makes the film feel authentic, however. A new classic in social problem horror, “Get Out” draws upon real life racial anxiety to build a narrative as frightening as it is based in reality. The tension and fear that pervades the film is not unlike the tension and fear which may follow a black man’s attempt to enter a white environment to which he feels like an unwelcome outsider.

Peele truly displays his range as a creator with this film, proving his credibility as a filmmaker with distinction. Though fans may look forward to his next comedic venture, he has made a name for himself as an acclaimed, Oscar-nominated thriller director on his first try.