American Fiction (2023) User Reviews

Two movies in one. One is great, the other is ok.

[tvpvdbh · 7/10 · 29 January 2024]

The movie American Fiction starts off with a bang of a scene that makes you think, "Oh. This is going to be amazing." From beginning to end, there are a number of sharp, brilliant, stingingly funny scenes. But they're interspersed between what feels like another movie - a bittersweet yet heartwarming family drama. Two movies with the same characters running along a parallel story arc that occasionally intersect. On more than one occasion I found myself asking, wait, which movie am I watching?

First, there is the movie as described in the IMDB synopsis: "Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who's fed up with the establishment profiting from "Black" entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write his own outlandish "Black" book--that propels him into the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain."

This movie is awesome. But it only shows up on occasion as what sometimes feels like a sub-plot of the other movie.

The other movie also stars Jeffrey Wright as Monk, same frustrated, emotionally disconnected, lost character. He takes a highly-encouraged leave of absence from his university teaching job and goes and reconnects with his emotionally damaged and broken yet still loving family. The great cast includes Tracee Ellis Ross as his accomplished, primary-bearer-of-responsibility sister; Sterling K. Brown as his middle-aged, recently-heterosexually-divorced, now out-gay-and-on-the-prowl brother; and, best of all, the legendary Leslie Uggams as his rapidly-on-the-decline-but-won't-acknowledge-it mother. Monk gradually, reluctantly takes more and more responsibility to care for his mother and be an active brother, accomplishing some middle age growing up in the process. It's a very nice, warm, if not particularly inspiring movie. It serves as the narrative background for the first movie.

The first movie is also a kind of journey of maturity, responsibility and self-discovery, along with being a biting and very funny satire. It's way more interesting and fun. Unfortunately, we don't get to spend a lot of time there. It's too bad, because each time it reappeared I thought, now THIS is the movie that I want to see. The effect is a feeling of story-drive interruptus. The first movie brings a level of building tension that wets your appetite with anticipation (OMG, what's going to happen next? I can't look but want to look!). And then it drops that tension and momentum when we move back to what is actually the main story line with him and his family. I kept feeling like, no wait, don't go back to the family movie, stay with this one!

The good thing is that it comes back around to the first movie at the end with a climax scene that is sharp, cynical and hilarious.

"The dumber I behave, the richer I get!"

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 8 February 2024]

One thing that impressed me with the movie was how natural all the actors sounded during most of its run, almost as if the trials and tribulations of the principals were actually happening and being committed to film. So, kudos to Cord Jefferson for achieving that in his directorial debut. Except for Leslie Uggams in the cast, I haven't seen any of the other principals, and all did a fine job. Uggams by the way, looked fantastic in the story approaching the age of eighty in real life. I want to know what magic elixir she's drinking. The story gets more and more absurd when college professor Thelonius 'Monk' Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) becomes increasingly frustrated with the lack of appreciation for his works of literature while being relegated to the African-American section of his local library. While marveling at the attention received by writer Sintara Golden (Issa Rae) for penning a novel about life in the hood, Monk decides to put his disdain of popular culture to the test by writing a novel in the same vein as a lark. When it becomes a hit and optioned for a movie treatment, he calls into question the entire insanity of modern culture for what he considers junk. Fortunately, when it came to the circumstances of his life and the precarious situation of his mother (Uggams) and her encroaching Alzheimer's, Monk decided not to pull the plug on his good fortune, but follow it through, even when complicated by his having been chosen to judge new releases for a literary award, one of which turned out to be his. I wasn't quite satisfied with the mock ending of the proposed movie about Monk's experience, the one in which he's mistakenly shot at the awards ceremony. I would have preferred one in which the audience was forced to deal with the revelation that Monk used the name of Stagg R. Leigh to write 'My Pafology', which he later renamed "F...". Personally, I think 'F... It' had a better ring to it.

For those without historical perspective, the real Stagger Lee was Lee Shelton, an African-American pimp living in St. Louis, Missouri, in the late 19th century. He was nicknamed Stag Lee or Stack Lee, with a variety of explanations being given for his nickname. I'll let the reader investigate further if interested. 'Stagger Lee' became a popular song released by Lloyd Price in 1958, rising to the top of the R&B and pop charts in 1959. It was inspired by an actual murder that took place late on the evening of December 25, 1895, in a St. Louis bar.

American Fiction is a smart and well-crafted film, an absolute must-see

[kevin_robbins · 8/10 · 17 January 2024]

My wife and I watched American Fiction (2023) in theaters last night. The storyline revolves around an author/school teacher navigating a professional transition, personal family tragedies, and a budding relationship.

Directed by Cord Jefferson in his directorial debut and featuring Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), Tracee Joy Silberstein (Black-ish), Issa Rae (Insecure), Keith David (Requiem for a Dream), and Erika Alexander (Get Out).

This film stands out as a well-written gem. It offers a multi-layered narrative, addressing societal stereotypes along with deep subplots exploring family dynamics, sexuality, self-discovery, and the challenges of aging parents. The cast's amazing chemistry and perfect interactions elevate the viewing experience, with Jeffrey Wright delivering an authentic and impressive performance that perfectly embodies his character. The storyline unfolds with impressive twists and turns, delving into various intriguing subjects within society and cultures.

In conclusion, American Fiction is a smart and well-crafted film, an absolute must-see. I would give it an 8/10 and strongly recommend it.

One of the best written, most damning satires about racial stereotypes to hit movie screens in a very long time

[MrDHWong · 10/10 · 8 February 2024]

"American Fiction" is a comedy drama film written and directed by Cord Jefferson, based on the novel "Erasure" by Percival Everett. Starring Jeffrey Wright in the lead role, it stands as one of the best written, most damning satires about racial stereotypes to hit movie screens in a very long time.

In Los Angeles, literature professor Thelonious "Monk" Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is placed on mandatory leave by his university after frequently arguing with his students over differing opinions on racial issues. Wishing to spend this time off with his family, Monk travels to Boston to meet up with them and later decides to attend a literary seminar taking place nearby. Monk's Q&A panel receives very little attention due to most of the attendees choosing instead to watch an onstage interview with author Sintara Golden (Issa Rae), whose novel "We's Lives in Da Ghetto" has become a number one bestseller. Surprised at how much Sintara's book panders to African American stereotypes yet receives such glowing praise from readers, Monk decides to write his own novel in the exact same style, titling it "My Pafology" and loading it up with every cliche imaginable for a black writer. Under the pen name "Stagg R. Leigh", Monk sends his completed novel to various publishers out of spite and is soon shocked to discover that he is now being offered $750,000 and a movie deal for the rights to his story.

It can be difficult for creative people to compromise their vision for the sake of pandering to others. All too often, many writers, artists, performers, and other similar folk are at the mercy of company executives forcing them to make changes to their work as a result of wishing to keep up with the times. Of course, this can yield mixed results, as while the creators in question will likely profit greatly from their amended product, a major part of their true selves may have been severely altered in the process. This is especially the case with the current political climate, with many people being forcibly made to acquiesce to modern views on race, sexuality, and gender identity whether they agree with any of it or not. The film "American Fiction" is an excellent example of how it is possible to satirise the world's view on stereotypes without once resorting to sensationalism or condescension.

From the very opening scene, you can immediately tell what direction this movie is going to take with its satirical point of view. We watch as Monk, a well educated African American university scholar, has an argument with one of his white female students regarding the title of a book he is teaching the class. The book in question, whose title contains a racial slur, offends the young student with hair dyed neon green, prompting her to question why he isn't offended along with her. Monk tells the student that if he is capable of understanding the proper context of what is being taught, then she can as well, which he soon learns the hard way is not the case at all. The scathing yet humorous look at the way modern teachers have to deal with these types of students, especially from an African American perspective, is one of the many reasons this movie works as well as it does. This is because it allows the audience to see the hypocrisy of virtue signalling, which calls attention to the subconscious racism on display by the very ones who claim to be against it.

Later on when Monk writes his book, we watch as he dumbs down every element of his otherwise intelligent storytelling technique. Gone is his sophisticated writing style and in its place is the stereotypical African American street vernacular spoken by violent gun-wielding criminals as the main characters. Coming from a man with such a highly educated background, it becomes obvious to the viewer that it is a painful experience for Monk to compromise what could have been a clever in-depth story about two black friends, but he forcefully presses on to prove his point about pandering. To his surprise, Monk's experiment works a little too well, and he finds himself offered a large sum of money just for the publishing rights alone. On that note, perhaps the best way to describe this film is that it's like a combination of Mel Brooks's "The Producers" and Spike Lee's "BlacKkKlansman", as each involve some kind of deceptive plan that goes horribly right for the protagonist.

In addition to the sharply satirical humour woven throughout the story, the film also has its fair share of deeply emotional moments, primarily shown through members of Monk's immediate family. Although it is shown that Monk had a respectable upbringing, his family has still been subjected to various ups and downs that have essentially shaped him into the person he is today. For instance, his mother Agnes (Leslie Uggams) suffers from early stages of Alzheimer's disease, causing her to forget most of the great achievements he and his other siblings have accomplished throughout their lives. Because of this, Monk is forced into an ultimatum; move her into an expensive nursing home with his own money or let his siblings sort things out for a cheaper price.

Also, Monk's estranged brother Cliff (Sterling K. Brown) has been living a hedonistic lifestyle after divorcing his wife, frequently engaging in drug use and sexual encounters. We later see that Cliff, whose divorce was the result of him coming out as gay, is now at odds with Agnes due to her homophobic views on family values, putting a strain on his relationship with her. I was highly impressed with the way director Cord Jefferson was able to juggle all of Monk's family issues so smoothly while simultaneously keeping the core satirical elements at the forefront of the story. Most first time filmmakers would greatly falter in this department, but Jefferson strikes the perfect balance between darkly comical and touchingly dramatic without ever using cheap jokes or unearned sentimentality to get the point across.

In his best film performance to date, Jeffrey Wright does a fantastic job in the role of Monk. Several times throughout the film, we witness Monk react to all of the bizarre, sometimes frustrating things that end up happening to him, and Wright's facial expressions and body language certainly shine during these scenes. In the previously mentioned opening, it's easy to understand how irritated Monk must be at dealing with socially ignorant people like his offended student, and the repressed annoyance he shows is both funny and relatable just by the level of self control he has during this situation. I've always found Wright to be an underrated actor who has never become a household name despite starring in several on screen productions over the years, so it's nice to see him finally receive some mainstream acknowledgement for his work in this film.

Worth mentioning as well is Sterling K. Brown as Cliff, Monk's estranged homosexual younger brother. What I liked most about Cliff as a character is the way in which he acts as a reminder to Monk of the importance of staying true to himself. In one scene, which I won't discuss in too much detail due to spoilers, we see Cliff and Monk talking about the long term impact of doing things to appease others rather than yourself. This introspective chat about living life your own way is among the most emotionally affecting parts of the film, and Brown definitely holds his own alongside Wright during this particular moment. You are really given the sense that these two brothers now share a common ground, despite all of their past disagreements.

Taking into account its timely subject matter, Cord Jefferson's "American Fiction" stands triumphantly as one of the cleverest, funniest satirical films to be released in many years. It's so rare to see a brand new filmmaker get everything right on their first try while at the same time create something that has the potential to be a talking point for generations to come. Of course, Jefferson could not have accomplished any of this without the help of the film's cast, whom he has given them all great material to work with thanks to his excellent screenplay. With all that said, Jefferson has now established himself as a filmmaker to watch and I eagerly await any future projects he may have on the horizon.

I rate it a very high 9.5/10.

Razor-sharp satire of White preoccupation with African American stereotypes.

[steiner-sam · 9/10 · 13 January 2024]

It's mostly a drama with sharp satire embedded within. Thelonious "Monk" Ellison is an African American creative writing professor at a college in Los Angeles. He's known for writing good-quality literary fiction that has not sold well. He plans to attend a book convention in Boston, where his mother, Agnes (Leslie Uggams), and sister, Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), live. Lisa is a physician and lives with Agnes, who is suffering from dementia. His brother, Cliff (Sterling K. Brown), is a plastic surgeon in Tuscon, Arizona. His wife divorced Cliff when she caught him in a male relationship.

Monk's college puts him on leave because of some controversial interactions with students, so he's destined to spend more time in the Boston area than he intended. He meets another African American novelist at the convention. Sintara Golden (Issa Rae) also has a very polished educational background and works as a reader for a major publisher. She's written a novel that utilizes African American stereotypes that Monk detests. He decides to write a trashy satire of such books and orders his agent, Arthur (John Ortiz), to submit it to publishers. A major Anglo-Saxon-run house loves because of its stereotypes, and Arthur convinces Monk to play along. He does, but with conflicted feelings that create difficulties in his relationships, including with a new girlfriend, Coraline (Erika Alexander).

"American Fiction" follows the trajectory of Monk's novel as it enters high-level literary discourse. The story provides three alternate endings. I liked the first one.

I found "American Fiction" to be a brilliant film. On one level, it unfolds the drama in a high-achieving family from the perspective of Monk, an inhibited, closed-in personality who has trouble exposing himself to others. On a second level is the razor-sharp satire of White preoccupation with African American stereotypes. The story moves along briskly. All the members of the Ellison family have distinct, well-developed personalities. The script and direction are first-class. I liked this film much more than the Roger Ebert reviewer.

This is what great writing can do

[FeastMode · 7/10 · 5 January 2024]

For reference, I frequently enjoy dumb-fun, mindless movies and watch basically everything superhero-related. You know... the kinds of movies where the writing is rarely the draw. Then I watch something with great writing and feel metaphorical whiplash. The difference is drastic.

Witty dialogue, intriguing story and clever scenarios elevate everything. The cast all give fantastic performances, especially Jeffrey Wright. But for me personally, by far the best attribute is the comedy. I full-volume laughed throughout. And the humor feels entirely original.

My only dislike is a few subplots, like the love life of his brother or the maid, that don't seem to be related to the main plot. They feel out of place and detract from the main story. Otherwise, I found American Fiction to be highly entertaining.

(1 viewing, opening Thursday 1/4/2024)

"I'm black and it's my book"

[AfricanBro · 8/10 · 13 December 2023]

I was looking forward to this. It's as funny as I anticipated and didn't disappoint. I loved the humor, like the way Issa Rae talked about her book, then proceeding to read it. I remember how much and how often the theatre broke out in laughter.

It's a story of a black writer who is tired of society's tend to stereotypes so he writes a crappy novel with intention of purely just trolling, but people eat it up and it becomes a best seller. I think in a way, the movie itself is like that; it tries to divert away from what you'd typically expect from a black story, that sounds weird... from a story based on black characters lol. It reminded me of "The Photograph (2020)," an okay romance movie (with Issa Rae too) that I liked because of its portrayal of a love story between two Black individuals, where the essence of romance took center stage instead being overly focused on their race or any associated struggles.

Loved how it was directed, the subtle yet not so subtle instances of race even though Thelonious. The social commentary was done really well and did not need to be shoved down your face to be effective. The characters are very easy to get invested in, even the ones that are short lived. I've only seen Jeffery Wright in supporting roles but he really nails his performance as a lead here which was great.

It's a film that balances deep emotions with humor, a difficult feat to achieve. Loved how there's a lot going on without the movie feeling overly crowded. It seamlessly combines satire and social commentary with a compelling family drama, and surprisingly, they harmonize flawlessly. Despite not being fast-paced, the film feels tightly packed, dedicating time to explore both themes thoroughly. Moreover, the quick-witted dialogue adds an extra layer of brilliance. Undoubtedly, this stands out as one of my favorite films of the year. The anticipation I had for it was met, and it truly stands as a unique movie.

The book is way better (and nastier)

[Radu_A · 7/10 · 10 February 2024]

Percival Everett's "Erasure" came out in 2001 as a response to the commercialization of rap culture and the ensuing in da ghetto stereotypes. This much belated adaptation, which would have been perfectly timed ten years ago, does a good job in bringing the main points across, but the novel is far more enjoyable and uncompromising.

I understand why the death of the protagonist's sister has been watered down, that part was the most difficult to accept in the original text. But the book he writes as a response is printed in full there, and I don't get why this was just briefly alluded to with a completely different characterization. In the real "My Pafology", the protagonist is a youngster with four kids by four mothers whom he abuses and cheats, and his downfall is copied from Richard Wright's "Native Son" replacing murder with rape. That is way more revealing as to the perverse satisfaction white Americans derive from confirming their stereotypes of the good-for-nothing black male, a service they compensate with recognition and money.

The film rushes through the talking points without giving due credit to its own title, the work of fiction it's based on. There is one nice add-on, a dialogue between the protagonist and the author of the stereotypical book that initially draws his ire, but overall those who have read "Erasure" will likely feel disappointed, while those who only watch the film will not know how much they've been missing.

Hilarious film full of insight

[naheedence · 10/10 · 7 January 2024]

This film was hilarious. I laughed more than I have during a movie in a long time. The commentary about the publishing industry and Hollywood was spot on. The acting was great and character development was well done. People in theater were laughing loudly throughout the film. That is the first time I've been to a film for adults where people were laughing constantly. I loved every moment and wanted the movie to just keep going, will watch again when released for streaming. My favorite part of the film was the commentary around how Americans feel like being "more thuggish" is more black and "real". Often times you see this trope. I want to see a film about stories that haven't been told before. Stop doing the same thing over and over Hollywood. This film is a nice break from the typical film.

Needed Either Better Balance Or More Comedic Focus

[zkonedog · 6/10 · 2 February 2024]

There are a lot of things to like (or that have potential) in American Fiction. It features a strong cast-especially the lead-and is built upon an extremely interesting/entertaining satirical concept. The main problem it faces, however, is that the constant switching back and forth between intense family drama and farcical satire needed to either be better balanced or shifted from one camp to the other a bit more. As-is, the experience is odd/wearisome even if still watchable.

For a very basic overview, American Fiction tells the story of Thelonious "Monk" Ellison (Jeffrey Wright), a stoic/up-tight writer who wants the Black experience portrayed as more than the usual caricatures or stereotypes. When a new book comes out that panders to that lowest common denominator, Monk is as apoplectic as he is depressed. But with family/money issues on the mind, he (bit-by-bit) gets pulled into writing an "African-American vernacular" piece that-of course-absolutely blows up and causes some severe conflicts of interest.

As written by Percival Everett & Cord Jefferson (also the director), American Fiction is, on one hand, a pretty entertaining satire of Black representation in American culture. Maybe a little on the nose, but that is sort of the overall point of the entire piece. It is easy to laugh at what is transpiring while also reflecting upon how close it creeps to the truth.

On the other hand, American Fiction also wants to be a pretty intense family drama, dealing with weighty issues like depression, mental health (as it applies to aging), and sexual orientation. While these plot-points and themes are not poor by any stretch of the imagination, I'd argue that they take away from the power of the satirical elements. I never made the connection between the wildly different tones-either because I missed some of Jefferson's nuance or it simply wasn't present.

My favorite scene in this movie was seeing Wright go through a physical transformation-intellectual/academic to "street"-walking down a hallway. I wish American Fiction could have tapped into that sort of energy much more than it ultimately did. Because audiences are so used to seeing Wright as the buttoned-up serious actor, highlighting his ability to play any type of role (which is clearly present, even if only in spurts here) would have potentially done wonders.

As it stands, however, American Fiction left me feeling a little confused/hollow as to what the whole experience was all about. It is clearly well-produced and has a professional feel to it so I'd never call it a bad film, but I often felt its best potential qualities were somewhat marginalized in favor of plotlines that didn't seem to pay off in the endgame.

Interesting Watch

[RegalsReelView · 8/10 · 18 January 2024]

An author, dejected by the state of society and what readers consider black literature, decides to give the people what they want: a stereotypical black story. What was supposed to be a satirical commentary turns into something more than he ever expected.

This film is an adaptation of the novel Erasure by Percival Everett. The film is a good mix of drama and comedy. One storyline makes fun of how, even though society is becoming more accepting of minorities, it unintentionally marginalizes them by continuing to perpetuate stereotypes. At the same time, another storyline shows an individual struggling with the hardships of life. The film's display of irony makes it an intriguing watch and reflects our current state as a society. This is a great film to watch with friends and discuss afterward.

The right to be black and boring

[rupcousens · 6/10 · 6 February 2024]

American Fiction has a very droll premise and many sharp lines, as you'd expect from an adaptation of a Percival Everett novel.

If the overarching drama here is meant to be an example of the more universal human stories that black writers and film-makers want to tell, it doesn't make a fully satisfying whole. The film is about 30 minutes of scabrous satire interrupting 90 minutes of rather tedious and uninvolving famililial stife.

Perhaps that's the even slyer point that Everett and Jefferson are making - that they have the right to be black and boring. If so, it came across to me very effectively, as I was checking my watch constantly in the second hour.

Delicate Balance Missing

[lastact-1 · 3/10 · 2 January 2024]

Film starts from the beginning with stereotypes of white people while complaining about black stereotypes. Although I can appreciate satire there are just too many white Jokes. Over 30 in all. In a world so divided we should be striving to bring people together. You don't do that by making one race cool and the other less than desirable. The film employs a heavy use of stereotypes, particularly focusing on negative portrayals of white individuals while attempting to address or comment on stereotypes about black individuals. Satire can be a powerful tool to critique and comment on societal issues, but it also requires a delicate balance to avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes or alienating certain audiences. When one group is consistently portrayed negatively while another is glorified, it contributes to a divisive narrative rather than promoting unity.. In a world marked by social and racial tensions, the responsibility of the director is to contribute positively to these discussions becomes crucial. They sadly missed.

One of the Best Premises of the Year

[evanston_dad · 8/10 · 31 December 2023]

"American Fiction" has a great premise, one of the best in any movie this year. And I overall liked it and think it was well made, so I'm rounding my score up to reflect that. But it somehow didn't completely land for me, in a way that I find hard to explain.

I think it was the domestic drama part of the film that didn't completely work for me. The movie spends a lot of time on all the ways that Jeffrey Wright feels overwhelmed by his life's responsibilities, and it sags in some of these parts, and makes the movie feel a little bit like a slog. And I don't know that I ever completely believed the character played by Sterling K. Brown, who never seemed convincing as a gay man. But I did like what the film had to say about the burden placed on black people to constantly be representing black people everywhere that white people never have to deal with. And I also liked the choose your own adventure ending that takes the film into meta territory in its final scenes.

So, solid double for me, but not a home run.

Grade: A-

Earnest drama first, satire second

[masonsaul · 8/10 · 6 February 2024]

American Fiction is a rightfully angry satire that gets a lot of laughs out of showing how the industry isn't as progressive as it thinks it is. What makes it even better is that it's also a surprisingly investing family drama that is exactly the kind of film it's complaining there aren't enough of.

The only thing that doesn't entirely land is the ending. It's still on point with everything the film has been saying for the past 2 hours and it is gloriously meta but it feels like it comes at the cost of an actually satisfying resolution to the character based drama it's been focusing on. Regardless, it's an interesting swing.

Jeffrey Wright is amazing in an all too rare leading role. It's the constant shock at how gullible everyone is, the glee in writing his parody book (which is visualised in a fun way) and the quieter moments of reflection. It offers further proof of his comedic talents and shows he can command the screen, though that was never in doubt.

With tons of charisma and a restrained sadness, Sterling K. Brown is really good, even if this performance doesn't feel Academy Award worthy. However, that's more of a general complaint with watching films after the nominations are announced since it adds a distracting and unfair disadvantage to any performance nominated.

Cord Jefferson makes an impressive debut with both his screenplay and direction. The writing has so much wit and the direction has the visual staging to back it up for some very clever gags. Laura Karpman's score accomplishes the difficult task of being a constant presence without becoming overbearing thanks to its calm and easygoing nature.

Mid Level Movie Disguised As Profound

[statuskuo · 6/10 · 1 February 2024]

I waited until the next day after watching to write this review.

In hindsight, it isn't as wise or profound as you want it to be.

Jeffrey Wright is great in the role and he embodies the sad sack writer who goes home to deal with his family, but in the meantime trips into a ruse of being a "voice of embittered Black man" who panders to White guilt.

On the surface, this seems like a window to mine great comedy. Instead, that is only on the perimeter of his internal struggle. I felt the focus should have been that. As the trailer suggests. Instead, it is more internal. It skates across a non-commital idea of what an artist should focus on.

Marketing wise, this is not Oscar bait. The true intention is to never offend the White audience while also not ostracizing the Black struggle. There is nothing deep about this movie. They are conversations that we've had online. Or arguments we've all had.

The real struggle is him, as an artist. He is battling another Black writer who seems to be pandering to the Black voice to White people. But their explanation is that she is holding a mirror to society rather than exploiting it. Um...not really. Deep down she knew this material sells to the guilt ridden literati (ahem...Washington Post). In fact, much like "Get Out" they mock the White leftist, which they go along with in hopes to be with the "in crowd".

I find it ironic that this movie is being celebrated for that reason. A self-described heavily White contingent Oscar voters fell for Thelonius Ellis's (Wright) ruse. Meta workings by a skilled movie maker Cord Jefferson.

For those who are keeping their distance due to perceiving it as being angry at Whites. It isn't. This turns into an artist's struggle.

There are things that take up a lot of head space. For instance when a family member dies, their quickness to gloss over the tragedy MAYBE plays into the dark comedy aspect. But that type of inconsistency causes some of us to not empathize with the family.

Kudos to Leslie Uggams whose bright kind face and eyes makes every moment a delight. She is acerbic in the right places. And holds more in a simple gesture than any words can.

Jeffrey Wright deserves the Oscan nom. The movie itself...fell flat for me.

Still, I miss the days of having family drama in theaters rather than making it a series. At times it feels VERY t.v. Mood. But it's a nice enough flick, in the world of "Ordinary People" or "Terms Of Endearment"

satire at it's best

[ferguson-6 · 8/10 · 18 December 2023]

Greetings again from the darkness. From one who watches too many movies every year, I'm amazed this film is the work of a director making his feature film directorial debut. Writer-director Cord Jefferson was one of the lead writers for the excellent series "Master of None", and he has adapted the 2001 novel "Erasure" by Percival Everett for the big screen. It's a brilliant satire and commentary on a society that has twisted things to the point where no one knows what to say or how to say it.

The film opens with a college professor pushing back on a student's overly emotional reaction to his use of a certain word in class. What strikes us in the scene is that the professor is black and the student is white. The confrontation costs Thelonious "Monk" Ellison (the always great Jeffrey Wright) his job at a New England university, and perfectly sets the stage for the rest of the story - much of which centers on Monk's incredulity at the progression of events around him.

Without a steady teaching paycheck, Monk heads to his see his agent Arthur (well-known character actor John Ortiz), who informs that his most recent intellectual book has no market, and suggests he write something a bit more mainstream. Monk heads to the Boston book festival and hears author Sintara Golden (comedian Issa Rae, BARBIE) in a public reading of a particularly stereotypical excerpt from her latest best-seller, purported to telling "black stories, our stories". Monk simply can't believe there is an audience for this or that it passes for black representation.

On a lark, Monk sits down to crank out a "black" story by a black writer. He does so as a joke, and is shocked, and a bit annoyed, that a publisher comes back with a huge offer. The negotiations with the publisher are hilarious. We see two white professionals desperate to offer a cool black book, yet so afraid to say the wrong thing (something offensive), that they inexplicably agree to Monk's terms ... changing the title to an unpublishable curse word. As a bonus, Monk has published the book under the pseudonym Stagg R. Lee (a takeoff on the classic Lloyd Price song). The publishing deal requires Monk to assume the identity of a wanted fugitive as part of the backstory for marketing purposes. When the movie offer rolls in, Monk is again beside himself, and states, "the dumber I act, the richer I get." While all this is going on, Monk is also facing some struggles in his personal life with his mother (80 year old Leslie Uggams, "Roots") who is struggling with dementia, his financially-strapped sister Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross, Diana's daughter, THE HIGH NOTE, 2020), and brother Cliff (Sterling K Brown, WAVES, 2019, "This is Us") whose recent divorce was caused by his revealing his preference for a gay lifestyle. All of this for a family whose dad committed suicide years ago. In the midst of all the family and professional drama, Monk strikes up a relationship with Coraline (Erika Alexander, GET OUT, 2017), a neighbor across the street, though he can't bring himself to come clean with this latest publishing scheme.

The best comedies have something to say, and the best satires are often quite cynical as they expose the absurdity of our world. Monk is dumbfounded at many of the same things that dumbfound us, and this peaks at his meeting with an aptly named movie producer, Wiley Valdespino (played by Adam Brody, READY OR NOT, 2019). Myra Lucretia Taylor (THE BIG SICK, 2017) has a supporting role as the housekeeper, and there are too many terrific scenes to count. One of the best is a debate between Monk and Sintara, and the writing is priceless and brilliant. An intelligent man like Monk cannot wrap his head around the fact that black books pandering to white readers who are trying to follow the rules is the new path to success. Filmmaker Cord Jefferson delivers the message (warning?) in a smart, funny movie featuring a wonderful lead performance by Jeffrey Wright.

Opening in theaters nationwide on December 22, 2023.

Almost but didn't land the ending!!

[GhostReturns · 6/10 · 27 January 2024]

The movie had great writing, great acting, and a cool vibe. It did an excellent job of capturing and describing the issues black artist have when deciding on what type of art to create. Do you create art that sales, even though you believe it's degrades your race and your culture. Often black artist feels they must create art that depicts negative stereotypes about the black community. You know drug dealers, slaves, deadbeat dads, or trifling baby mommas. But, we are so much more than that. But, unfortunately when black artist creates enlighten black art, often the black community nor other racial communities spend money to watch it. This move would have been great if it would had landed the ending. The ending felt like the author got lazy and ran out of ideas. Close the circle next time.

See this one.Almost perfect

[scottruszczyk · 9/10 · 19 January 2024]

I went into this movie with very high expectations and were totally met. Its a fine juggling trick with drama,dementia,gay character,satire about black stereotypes. They did it. The script was great,all the main actors really moved me felt really. Shout out too Jeffrey Wright should get Oscar nod-it will go too Cillian. Only reason didn't give a 10 was the ending in my opinion bad. Leslie Uggams (sic?)was heartbreaking as woman going down with alzheimers. If this was this directors first effort then he's pretty damn good. Although Ari Aster stumbled with Beau is afraid. The guy who played Monks agent was really good too.

Absolutely brilliant up until the disappointing ending

[Sees All · 7/10 · 21 December 2023]

I thought this movie absolutely soared with brilliance up until the last two minutes, when it crashed with a thud. This was a real heartbreaker because up until that ending, I thought I was watching a masterpiece. It reminded me of when I was a kid reading a Superman comic book and being really absorbed in the story, only to find at the end that the whole story was something Lois Lane dreamed after she ate ice cream and pickles. Basically, the story is about a black college professor and novelist whose work is ignored because it isn't "black" enough, meaning it's not about drug addicts, pregnant teenagers and racist cops. As a joke he writes the kind of book that publishers want under a pseudonym. The book becomes a smash hit. He'd like to just stop the whole hoax, but his mother is stricken with Alzheimer's and needs round-the-clock care, which is extremely expensive. He needs the money. Up until the dud ending, this is a wry and sly work of social commentary that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's still worth seeing, but could have been so much more. The script is intelligent and compelling (up until that awful ending). Acting, direction, and technical elements are all first rate. Jeffrey Wright as the professor, gives a standout performance in the kind of role we virtually never see in a movie. Also excellent are Leslie Uggams as his mother, Myra Lucretia Taylor as their maid, John Ortiz as his agent, and Erika Alexander as his girlfriend. Actually, the whole cast is great. Because of the ideas involved, I'd say the movie is worth seeing. But be prepared for a disappointing ending.

A work of genius, heart and hilarity

[rickchatenever · 8/10 · 11 December 2023]

American Fiction

If alphabetical order hadn't put it at the top of the cheat sheets I consult for Oscar predictions, I might never have seen "American Fiction." It would have been my loss. A huge one.

Not painted on the large cinematic canvases of its likely Best Picture competitors like "Oppenheimer," "Barbie," "Killers of the Flower Moon" or "Poor Things," director-co-writer Cord Jefferson's wise comedy scores its bull's-eyes on a life-size target, somewhere between the heart and the brain. The writing is brilliantly original, coming at well-worn black racial themes with eyes so fresh, you feel like you're seeing the subject for the first time.

Jeffrey Wright carries the film, showing a side of himself often missing from past powerhouse dramatic performances. He's lovable ... despite the fact that his character doesn't know how to be. His Thelonius Ellison - you can call him "Monk" - is a prickly, Harvard-educated California university literature professor, author of several novels that no one, other than adoring academic critics, read.

Earning its audacious title, "American Fiction's" plot is as well crafted as its metaphors. Before it's finished, black stereotypes and tone-deaf white efforts to embrace them have fallen under its satirical scalpel. So have the worlds of academia, publishing and Hollywood moviemaking. Its humor is smart and sly. It's no coincidence that Monk shares his last name with author Ralph Ellison, whose "Invisible Man" helped usher in the black American literary renaissance of the '50s and '60s.

While its satire is spot on, at its heart the movie is really about family. Turns out Monk isn't the only "doctor" in his family. His sister Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross) and brother Cliff (Sterling K. Brown) are physicians. The Ellisons are upscale enough to have a beach house as well as their big family home where matriarch Agnes (Leslie Uggams) is in the early stages of Alzheimer's All that brain power doesn't make them any less dysfunctional than other families. They just have wittier things to say about it.

After Monk is drawn back to his family roots in Boston, his writing career takes an unexpected turn. What starts as a prank protest of "authentic" portrayals of black people in mainstream culture - notably by overnight-sensation black novelist Sintara Golden (Issa Rae) - inadvertently transforms Monk into a caricature himself. Which, to his dismay, is the path to the literary glory he has spent his life chasing.

"The dumber I behave, the richer I get," he complains to his agent (John Ortiz). (This isn't a spoiler - it's in the trailer.) Considering how intelligent the script is, it's ironic that a single word plays a crucial, and hilarious, role summing things up. You know the word - the one that begins with "F." Watching "American Fiction" is richly rewarding, punctuated by laugh-out-loud moments steeped in real affection for its gently flawed characters. It has already picked up wins at early film festivals; expect plenty more nominations all around its cast and creators as awards season cranks into high gear.

Its rich vein of empathy and compassion make for magnificent fiction. It truly is a work of literature as much as genius filmmaking.

Watching it, I found myself uttering out loud, that word I mentioned above.

For me it wasn't a curse at all, but a spontaneous expression of admiration, awe and pure joy.

TIFF Peoples Choice Award Winner??

[joshtill-98100 · 7/10 · 18 September 2023]

So I was lucky enough to snag some TIFF peoples choice awards tickets and saw a showing of this film and... I have a lot of thoughts. It's an insanely thought provoking movie of the treatment of black stories in Hollywood and in novelizations, but it also talks about the categorization of Black People in the Caucasian perspective. I thought the actual direction and acting were very good throughout the film (not Oscar worthy but good), but i found the actual screenplay to not go as deep as it needed to, nor did it try too hard with the substance when it comes in context to the shapement of Black voices in a Caucasian-driven hollywood. It was a good movie, don't get me wrong- but the two other programs i saw at TIFF i thought were far superior.

Disappointed

[levybob · 4/10 · 14 January 2024]

I was disappointed in Cord Jefferson's 'American Fiction'. And let me quickly get this out of the way; it's possible that my expectations were too high. There was so much buzz about this film during the past month I doubt anything could have lived up to my anticipation. And if that's the case: I'm sorry.

What disappointed me? One, the film's lack of energy; there was, for me, a sort of shuffling through the story as opposed to the characters' taking big broad steps. Then Two, I was surprised at how much of a (dysfunctional) family story this was , as opposed to a story more edgy in a more universal way. And Three, the main character - a novelist - has to learn something about himself over the course of the film, but I'm not convinced that he does. And if he does, I wonder how long it'll last. Worse still, we are told what he will learn early in the film; a Jimmy Walker Scotch Liquor metaphor.

In order to pay his mother's mounting medical bills our black novelist 'Monk' Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) writes a trashy black-exploitation story under a pseudonym. When the book becomes a tremendous success (monetarily) he is faced with owning-up to the fact that he wrote it, or somehow keeping it undercover. First, the fact that he can keep it secret is handled in a most awkward way; something about his being a felon on the run. But more important, this problem puts him at odds with his new girlfriend (a radiant Erika Alexander), his brother (Sterling K. Brown) and mother (Leslie Uggams), other novelists, his agent and publishers, film-makers, but most of all, with himself.

There is a scene early on where two employees of a Publishing House ooh and ahh to Monk about his wonderful (trashy) book. The scene is fantastic. Crisp and clear in its racism, in its total lack of sincerity, in their willingness to sell out for the sake of big bucks. And I wish there were many more scenes like this one. Scenes with the back and forth pacing that proved both edgy and hilarious. There were a couple of such encounters; but too few by far.

Instead we get family problems. A gay brother. A mother with dementia. A sister's early death. A lying and cheating father. None of which, by the way, would be any different were the characters not black. No, what we have is a family of doctors (2) and one novelist. And I'm not altogether certain about whether I'm supposed to like them and, if so, root for their problems to be solved.

But, fact is, it is that lack of (my) caring that kept me at arm's length with 'American Fiction'.

A Smart and Funny Film

[mchl88 · 8/10 · 21 January 2024]

This was really good on so many levels. It was funny and thought-provoking and intelligent. I can see it landing a number of Oscar nominations, and not just so the academy can show off its new found diversity (although that would be fitting given the storyline and themes this movie tackles).

In short, Thelonius Ellison is a struggling author. When his latest book doesn't sell because it's not "black enough" he writes the most cliched black novel he can come up with, full of gang bangers and hoes. His agent submits it under a nom de plume and wouldn't you know, it becomes a best-seller. That's the bones of this story but it's so much more than that, as Ellison deals with an aging mother, an older brother who has just recently come out, and a new girlfriend. There's a twist towards the end of this movie that I won't spoil, but just suffice to say it made a good movie great IMO.

When Cultures Collide...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 4 February 2024]

It's fair to say that your success has not been great, and you're resigned (almost) such that you recognise your fate, but certain genres make you grind, with an audience quite blind, you attempt to imitate, from your own plate. Soon the produce you've created then takes off, and you're ridicule rebounds and makes you scoff, these shallows have no depth, they're so narrow without breadth, but there's an audience that needs, to fill their trough. Just to make your circumstances more acute, familial dynamics then cause dispute, an encounter goes awry, the world is here to mystify, in the end you realign, to take the loot.

Great performances all round.