American Fiction is a hilarious and witty satire that gets better as it goes more and more off the rails. The entire cast is phenomenal.
It’s not always easy to pull off a movie filled with satire and then stick the landing. American Fiction does it. Jeffrey Wright, who leads the film as Thelonious ‘Monk’ Ellison, a jaded writer who releases a book under a pen name to prove a point about “Black” entertainment. With heartfelt moments weaved in between the hilarious ones, this all star cast delivers something truly special.
When he is told his smart, well written, Science Fiction books are not of interest to publishers because they are looking for Black writers, Monk is baffled. He is Black, he is a writer — what is the problem? In an effort to expose the system, he writes a book using slang and a fabricated life story, stating that the author cannot show his face because he is a wanted criminal. At the same time, his family is dealing with tragedy, which puts him under great stress.
American Fiction follows Monk as he unravels. It is touching film about life, friendship, love, and family, but also a heartbreaking one that shows what can happen when someone finally hits their breaking point.
Issa Rae plays Sintara Golden, another Black writer, who Monk does not respect at all because of her writing choices. The two are forced to spend time together, which is eye opening for both of them. The two are great on screen together, offering up some of the best moments of the film.
While it is impossible to talk about the ending in detail without spoiling anything, just know that everything comes together in an interesting and unexpected way. The entire movie is fantastic, but it is the final twenty minutes or so that really shine.
Monk’s personal life, especially the family that he is surrounded by, take American Fiction to a whole new level. Sterling K. Brown is phenomenal as his brother, Clifford. Their relationship feels exactly like siblings – feuding one minute, loving each other the next.
Clifford is finally being his true self, which causes him to go a bit wild. His brother Monk might not always approve, but he is willing to understand where Cliff is coming from as well.
The entire ensemble cast of American Fiction comes together to deliver a hilarious, entertaining, and thought-provoking film with an ending that will truly surprise you. Each and every actor gives their best work, and thanks to a sharp script and brilliant storyline, this movie feels like nothing we have ever seen before.
Part satire, part family dramady, American Fiction is hands down one of the best films of the year. Jeffrey Wright deserves all the awards, but so does his supporting cast, who make sure the movie works on all fronts.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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About American Fiction
AMERICAN FICTION is Cord Jefferson’s hilarious directorial debut, which confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. 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 an outlandish “Black” book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.
American Fiction is now playing in select theaters.
