American Fiction

Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is a writer and English professor. Yet his novels don’t sell. “They want a Black book,” Monk’s agent Arthur (John Ortiz), tells him. ”They have a Black book,” Monk says. “I’m Black, and it’s my book.” He’s irritated by the perpetuation of stereotypes and clichés about African American life in the literary world. The success of the national bestseller We’s Lives In Da Ghetto by new writer Sinatra Golden (Issa Rae) is the final straw. Frustrated with the expectations placed on Black writers to produce works that fit certain conventions, Monk writes what he believes to be a gross imitation of the urban fiction/street literature genre that has become popular and highly marketable. Ironically, his book entitled My Pafology becomes a surprise success,

What can be explored perfectly and leisurely in a novel doesn’t always translate into cinema. American Fiction is adapted by writer and director Cord Jefferson from Percival Everett’s Erasure. Everett’s satire was designed to critique the commercialization of a genre that notably gained prominence in the 1990s through authors like Sister Souljah, Omar Tyree, and Teri Woods. Everett’s work utilized nested narratives and a mix of parody and social commentary. The unconventional structure makes it a tricky text to adapt.

A lot is going on in this movie. Monk’s spoof is attributed to the nom de plume Stagg R. Leigh. My Pafology is later hilariously retitled as a particular four-letter word that begins with “F” in Monk’s last-ditch attempt to keep it from getting published. The thrust of the plot is then embedded within an account that splinters off into various subplots involving his family. His mother, Agnes (Leslie Uggams), shows signs of Alzheimer’s disease, and his sister, Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), is a medical doctor but a heavy smoker who suffers a heart attack. Monk’s estranged brother, Cliff (Sterling K. Brown), is newly out of the closet and living a second adolescence. Monk also meets and starts dating Coraline (Erika Alexander), a lawyer living across the street.

The allure of these family stories is amplified by the inherent drama, with performances that are universally captivating. It’s particularly refreshing to witness the talented Jeffrey Wright take on a starring role. He grounds the drama with his likable and authentic charm. Also of note is Sterling K. Brown, who delivers a portrayal distinctly different from the character he played for six seasons on This Is Us. However, concern arises as these offshoots divert attention from the driving force of the chronicle.

American Fiction effectively satirizes the commodification of race in literature and White liberal guilt. The film opens with a White student performatively objecting to discussing a short story by Flannery O’Connor, whose title features the verboten N-word. Professor Monk Ellison asserts, “If I can get over it, so can you.” Later, when Stagg R. Leigh’s opus vies for a prestigious award, the dissonance between the White judges championing its importance and the Black panelists who are far less enthusiastic speaks volumes.

It all coalesces in a hilarious climax that is as perfect a sendup of Hollywood attitudes as the final scene in The Player (1992). Nevertheless, the rest of this sweeping saga ultimately falls short in offering a fresh perspective, treading familiar ground explored decades ago in films like Spike Lee’s Bamboozled (2000) and Robert Townsend’s Hollywood Shuffle (1987) that have become even more blistering with the passage of time. Even recent movies Get Out (2017) and Sorry to Bother You (2018) raised philosophical questions about the (White) establishment with more subtlety. Despite the engaging family scenarios and story threads, the overarching commentary on race is rather traditional, reminding us that even in satire, breaking free from previously established ideas can be a bold risk.

12-11-23