In his directorial debut, Jordan Peele (“Key and Peele“) sinks his teeth into the horror genre with “Get Out.”

The film tells the story of a black man, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), as he visits his white girlfriend’s (Allison Williams) mysterious family estate. As the casual conversations escalate to aggressive racial remarks, Chris believes something more sinister going on with his hosts.

First and foremost, Peele does an incredible job writing and directing this film. The social commentary throughout the subtext of “Get Out” sheds light on some of the persisting racism still seen in today’s society. His sharply written dialogue is made all the better thanks to slick camerawork and stark, oftentimes brutal imagery, a la “Under the Skin” and “It Follows.”

Kaluuya gives a great performance and is destined to be a star. He shows a surprising range of emotion, and the nuance he shows when portraying discomfort and pent-up rage is inspired. It speaks a lot to what I can only assume some African Americans feel like on a daily basis. There’s a dinner table scene, in particular, that is chilling and uncomfortable.

One of my biggest problems with the film is its inability to shift between tones. It is not only a horror film, but also a comedy, and in some ways a serious drama. As the tension progresses through the climax, Peele decides to totally pull the rug out from under the audience and go full horror.

Peele shows a deft hand at direction, even if he can’t quite capture the tonal shifts to their full potential. “Get Out” is an intelligent, funny, and altogether dark film about racism and the grim side of human nature.

GRADE: B