By Marc S. Sanders
Cord Jefferson directs his first film and it’s a winning combination of Tootsie with the prose of Alexander Payne.
American Fiction follows author/literature professor Thelonius Ellison, otherwise known as Monk (Jeffrey Wright). He’s encouraged by his university to take some time off as his patience with the mindset of students and colleagues has reached its tipping point. Upon his return to visit his mother (Leslie Uggams) and sister Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), he realizes that mother is beginning to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. An unexpected tragedy also strikes, and now Monk has to figure a way to afford round the clock care for mother.
A side story also gnaws at Monk. His literary agent, Arthur (a hilarious John Ortiz) encourages him to write a book about “black life,” much like the current bestselling novelist Sintara Golden (Issa Rae). Her book is celebrated, particularly by the middle/upper class white demographic, for its “authenticity” in urban black dialect and situations. Monk is disgusted by this kind of reception. He may be black, but he’s simply a novelist. Best to take his hard cover novels out of the African Studies section at the bookstore.
After a drunken binge of adopting Sintara’s approach, Monk writes a book, under a gang like pseudonym, as simply a gag to demonstrate how foolish consumers and the top publishers can truly be. Arthur submits the manuscript to potential publishers and immediately fortune finds him. A publisher is so moved by the book’s plight, she wants to gear it as a summertime bestseller and Hollywood wants to adapt the story. It’s also a serious contender for a literary award, of which Monk is on the judging panel. To Monk’s reluctance, he must don a persona of a fugitive criminal author, unwilling to disclose his identity or location. White consumerism eats all of this up. At best, all of this hoopla is covering the cost of his mother’s care. Otherwise, he despises being a part of this charade in front of his new girlfriend, Coraline (Erica Alexander) and his family which also includes his gay, undependable brother, Cliff (Sterling K Brown, another winning actor in this outstanding cast).
American Fiction works on several levels, but the balance is between satire and relatable drama. There’s a past that defines Monk’s character. It defines what irritates him as a black man who is encouraged to digress from the sophisticated intelligence and formal education he possesses. No one encourages him to live up to his disposition as simply a good writer. Because he’s black, he can only be regarded as a black writer.
Jeffrey Wright breaks free of his well-known character actor performances (James Bond films for example) to lead this stellar script adapted from a novel called Erasure by Percival Everett. He wears multiple hats in this film, which include tender moments shared with Erica Alexander and Leslie Uggams, as well as more challenging debates with the sibling characters while addressing a common family problem of dealing with an elderly parent’s care. His siblings sardonically address him as “Detective Dictionary” when engaged in a debate. As well, Wright’s comedy works as he’s the irascible author who is flabbergasted at how seriously his little prank takes him so far. It disgusts him that this novel, this deliberate smack in the face to what readers embrace as black literature, generates a sensation. The further it’s regarded in hype, the deeper Monk has to hide as that urban gangster fugitive.
Thelonius “Monk” Ellison is one of the best characters to come out of 2023. Ironically, the first film I saw this year was a dreadful comedy called You People with Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill. That film attempted to poke fun at what presumed were the stereotypes of blacks and Jews when in fact it had no discernible concept. American Fiction explores how black life and culture is perceived by a white populace only to genuinely demonstrate an unfair delusion, and it works perfectly. It’s a very smart script with intelligent and likable characters, and the dialogue is never pandering but absolutely forthright.
American Fiction pokes fun at perceptions. How Hollywood addresses black history and culture and a sad truth of what garners attention for fiction with black characters and storylines. For black actors and authors, like any of their industry peers regardless of race/demographic, there’s more than just stories focusing on life in the ghetto or on a southern plantation.
Cord Jefferson’s screenplay reveals a midlife crisis for Monk that allows a provocation to consider what is genuine in black and white people. At the same time, while Monk only wants to reveal a false delusion, he also has to live up to unwanted responsibilities as a son, a brother and a boyfriend. Jeffrey Wright is worthy of an Oscar nomination for his role.
Nearly every scene in Jefferson’s film can prompt you to hit pause and think about what was just said or demonstrated. This movie is also very, very funny in its honest truth of what consumers absorb. Yes! I do believe Hollywood would likely make a revenge slasher horror picture on a Louisiana cotton plantation, complete with Ryan Reynolds as a slave owner getting beheaded by an Afro blade.
American Fiction is one of the ten best films of 2023.
2 UNPAID MOVIE CRITICS!!!! 