Jeffrey Wright delivers his career best performance as an erudite Black author and college professor frustrated by racial stereotypes. American Fiction brilliantly satirizes societal perceptions while also telling a deeply personal narrative of the protagonist’s family reckoning and unexpected romances. The film’s incisive skewering of false representation is a laugh riot that takes a surprising turn. Can you celebrate success when it’s based on a lie and reinforces abhorrent values? American Fiction is a cinematic gem that’s thought-provoking, fabulously entertaining, and superbly acted.
In Los Angeles, Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) gets in a heated argument about the “N word” with a white student in his literature class who has taken offense. Monk wants an open discussion about a novel and is stupefied that someone who’s not Black has been triggered by the racial slur. The resulting fracas with the school’s faculty forces Monk into a leave of absence. He’s painfully told that his books aren’t well received. No one cares about Monk’s thoughts on Greek history. He is told to take this time off and reassess his career options.
Monk returns to Boston for a long overdue family visit. His gynecologist sister, Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), has recently gotten divorced. She can no longer manage their ailing mother Agnes’ (Leslie Uggams) affairs by herself. Lisa’s frustration also extends to their youngest brother. Cliff’s (Sterling K. Brown) medical practice and children are embroiled in a heated court battle with his betrayed wife. She caught Cliff in bed with another man and is out for every penny. Lisa feels it’s time her siblings shared the family’s burdens.
A Despicable Lie
Release Date December 15, 2023
Rating R for language throughout, some drug use, sexual references and brief violence
Monk’s problems are amplified when publishers reject his latest book. Arthur (John Ortiz), Monk’s agent, reiterates his colleagues’ criticism. Why can’t Monk write a hit like the esteemed writer Sintara Golden (Issa Rae)? Her books are flying off the shelves. She’s on every TV show and nominated for distinguished literary awards. Monk despises her with every fiber of his being. Her book is racially derivative and filled with insulting “ebonics” dialogue.
A frustrated Monk decides to jokingly give Arthur what he and America want. He anonymously bangs out a crude manuscript rife with malt-liquor drinking, drive-by shooting, Black “gangsta” characters from broken homes who’ve served time in prison. Monk is utterly stupefied when Arthur informs him that publishers are fawning over the novel. Who is this daring writer that has captured the essence of Black culture? A Hollywood producer (Adam Brody) even wants to buy the movie rights for a mammoth sum. An astonished Monk finds himself in a maddening quandary. He’s finally on the verge of critical and financial success, but it’s all based on a despicable lie.
RELATED: Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, & Erika Alexander Discuss American Fiction
Writer/director Cord Jefferson (The Good Place, HBO’s Watchmen) astounds in his feature film debut. He sublimely adapts Percival Everett’s novel Erasure for the big screen with this burning question: how do you define “Blackness?” What does it mean to be “Black enough?” The Ellisons aren’t sipping 40s on government housing steps in do-rags and saggin’ sweatpants. Monk is a professor with a PhD. His sister and brother are doctors. They’re from traditionally white Boston and even own a beach house. Jefferson posits that the Ellisons aren’t statistical deviants in the African American socioeconomic stratum. They’re just ignorantly perceived as such.
Family Secrets and Unexpected Romance
American Fiction has several fascinating subplots that run parallel with Monk’s book fiasco. Cliff hid his sexual orientation and lived in domestic deceit to keep up pretenses. He’s finally free to be his true self but faces cruel and hurtful slights. Monk and Lisa shielded their parents from the truth. Cliff agonizes that his homophobic father died without knowing who he really was. He might have been disowned, but a lifetime of deception was torturous. These powerfully emotional scenes hit like a gut punch. Jefferson gives light to the struggles queer Black people face to find identity and acceptance.
Related: Why American Fiction Will Become a Timeless Satire of Hollywood and the Publishing World
Two love stories give the film heart and balance. Cliff sparks a connection with a neighbor near the Ellison beach house. Coraline (Erika Alexander) embraces his grumpy demeanor with a playful countenance. She’s a sweet and kind ray of sunshine through his dark clouds. They engage in a Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan courtship rarely seen on screen with Black couples. Jefferson furthers this theme with another connection that positively enchants. Agnes’ home attendant, the beloved Lorraine (Myra Lucretia Taylor), is swept off her feet by a charming family friend (Okieriete Onaodowan). You can’t help but smile as a selfless woman finds happiness. These added notes make American Fiction’s elegant symphony sound that much sweeter.
American Fiction gives a hilarious comeuppance by purposely mocking certain white supporting characters. The literati crowd, publishers, other famous authors, and the condescending producer are obvious caricatures of a systemic stereotyping. The lesson here is clear. Diversity exists in every racial and ethnic group. Don’t paint everyone with the same brush. There is no standard for “Black enough.”
American Fiction is a production of Orion Pictures, MRC Film, T-Street Productions, and 3 Arts Entertainment. It will be released theatrically on December 15th from Amazon MGM Studios.
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