American Fiction (2023)

“American Fiction” stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Issa Rae, and Sterling K. Brown. Released on December 15, 2023, the film has a novelist-professor unexpectedly finding success with his “Black” book.

The film was written and directed by Cord Jefferson in his feature directorial debut. Jefferson is a journalist known for writing television shows like “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore,” “Master of None,” “The Good Place,” and “Watchmen.” It is based on the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett. There have been many times when we have expectations for a specific type of media based on a creator’s vision. But sometimes, we set our expectations based on anything else from that same creator based on their beliefs, culture, and skin color. This film happens to be one of those occasions. After waiting patiently for this one since its release last month, the latest and most-buzzed awards contender has finally arrived in wide release amid its sea of newer movies fit for different demographics. With how much praise it received, especially during awards season, there’s no doubt that I was willing to see what the hype was about. With that said, let’s see if this “book” has enough bite in its commentary to earn its fame.

The story follows Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Wright), a writer and professor residing in Los Angeles. He has written numerous academic novels that were praised yet were selling poorly. Even worse, he’s been receiving criticism for not being “black enough”. After a series of unfortunate events disrupted Monk’s life, including reuniting with his estranged brother Cliff (Brown), he decides to write a manuscript meeting the expectations put on black writers amid a stereotypical, melodramatic plot. What seemed to be a joke made by Monk became an unexpected turning point in his career, with him receiving widespread fame and acclaim. As a result, Monk navigates and maintains his success by adopting a stereotypical alias, “Stagg R. Leigh,” placing himself in a society that he despises.

This is another movie that immediately caught my attention regarding its marketing. It wasn’t just because of its impressive lineup. It’s also because of the concept it brought to the table that resembles what some creators may be going through, especially those from different cultures. I’m more of a reviewer than a creator or an author, but I understand that recognizing myself as a person matters, regardless of the content I create. So, as soon as I saw that “American Fiction” was playing at the cinema closest to me, I knew that seeing it would be my top priority, especially since I’m preparing for the Critics Choice Awards and the Oscars. After finally watching it, do I think it deserves the praise it’s been getting since its release? Absolutely. “American Fiction” is another well-directed movie that combines its entertaining and endearing plot with relatable and crucial commentary that’s not as pandering or ugly as a “black book”.

From the storytelling perspective, “American Fiction” seemed to be another film involving a misunderstanding, resulting in a series of comical attempts to keep the lie going. Of course, those include jokes involving race and stereotypes, hence the R rating. However, the movie offers a lot more than your typical adult comedy. It provides what the marketing suggests, but underneath its surface, it reflects people’s unhealthy expectations toward an author’s work based on their culture. In this case, it’s the success of African American literature based on stereotypes relating to drugs, trauma, gang violence, and police brutality, especially when white people drive that success. It paints a miserable, yet somehow true, picture of people’s inability to understand a creator as a person instead of letting their expectations be based on dated labels and jokes. It’s also essential for these creators not to let those expectations drive them to success instead of doing their own thing.

Through Cord Jefferson’s direction and script, the film explores these truthful topics in an honest, insightful, and comical light. Sure, it’s fun to laugh at some race-related jokes occasionally, but they can grow stale when they overuse them. It’s like how we see modern adult comedies. They can be fun for a while until we’ve grown sick of someone making a sex gag every few minutes. “American Fiction” managed to find meaning in these adult jokes by properly satirizing how we see society today. As a result, the humor lands almost every time. It’s not just because of how cleverly written Jefferson’s screenplay is. It’s also because of its relatability, especially for the African American community. The comedy aspect also works really well with its endearing moments involving Monk and his family and its reflective ending. Without saying anything spoiler-related, I will say that it’s one of the conclusions that perfectly summarizes what they’re saying in their themes without relying on corny tropes. It’s a balance that never forgets to focus on providing fun and heart while getting the message out.

In addition to the direction and screenplay, “American Fiction” emphasizes the talents of the cast, especially Jeffrey Wright. Wright has impressed me numerous times recently in other films and television shows, mainly Marvel’s “What If…?”. However, I think his role as Monk might be his most thoughtful and humorous performance yet. Everyone thought this was Wright’s best role of his career, and after watching it for myself, I would have to agree. It might’ve been his deep and calmly smooth voice that won me over, but it’s also how he portrays Monk’s complex emotions regarding his perspective of his predicament that made me see him as a compelling actor. It might not be enough for Wright to beat out the other award-worthy actors he’s competing against, but I’m happy he got the attention he deserves. Sterling K. Brown was also stellar as Cliff regarding his humor and heartfelt chat with Monk, and Issa Rae delivered a solid portrayal of Sintara Golden, another author who fell victim to people’s expectations. John Ortiz also provided some pretty humorous moments as Arthur, Monk’s agent.

Overall, “American Fiction” successfully rewrites the pages of the “black book” scenario with a mixture of comedy, heart, and commentary that’s impossible to put down. It may leave specific people feeling uneasy regarding the portrayal of its themes, but I think that’s the main point of it. It’s supposed to make them uncomfortable so that they understand the importance of respecting black people as human beings and not letting their biases judge them and their work blindly. Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut is a miraculous and consistently entertaining representation of this mature yet offensive topic that benefitted enormously from its engaging cast, witty screenplay, and a well-balanced sense of direction for its tone. If it’s playing at a theater near you, I recommend you check it out and remember to treat others how they want to be treated, including authors and creators.

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