American Fiction (15)

Frustrated academic Thelonious "Monk" Ellison is repeatedly told by publishers that his books aren't "black enough". He responds by churning out an outlandish work of fiction, My Pafology, under the pen name of ex-con Stagg R Leigh, which is crammed to bursting with garish racial stereotypes. Unthinkably, a publishing house offers 750,000 dollars for a book that Monk spewed out as a joke.

LondonNet Film Review

American Fiction (15) Film Review from LondonNet

Truth and fiction repeatedly swap places in writer-director Cord Jefferson’s hilarious and heartfelt study of the creative process, glimpsed through the spectacles of a frustrated academic, who is repeatedly told by publishers that his books aren’t “black enough”. His enraged response – an outlandish work of fiction crammed to bursting with garish racial stereotypes – sets in motion a winning comedy drama, which pokes fun at white guilt, overly zealous political correctness and the furious tug of war between authenticity and commercial viability…

Jeffrey Wright is deservedly Oscar-nominated for his heart-on-sleeve lead performance as a writer raging against an imbalanced system. He visibly relishes the zinging dialogue in Jefferson’s script adapted from Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure, beginning with a stinging rebuke to a pompous college lecturer who boasts that he has written three books in quick succession. “The speed with which you write only proves that good things take time,” coolly retorts Wright. Jefferson doesn’t rush character development or messy personal relationships, eliciting a wonderful supporting performance from fellow Oscar nominee Sterling K Brown as a plastic surgeon in the throes of embracing his sexual identity.

We first encounter Los Angeles-based writer and professor Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Wright) as he is strongly urged by colleagues to take a leave of absence after clashing with a student about the use of the N word in a book’s title. Monk bristles with indignation during a subsequent visit to a book festival in Boston, where author Sintara Golden (Issa Rae) is feted for her debut novel We’s Lives In Da Ghetto, and frustration boils over in a book store when Monk discovers his work has been consigned to the African-American Studies section. His anger is targeted at a laptop keyboard and he churns out a soulless manuscript, My Pafology, under the pen name of ex-con Stagg R Leigh.

Unthinkably, a publishing house offers 750,000 dollars for a book that Monk spewed out as a joke. “Now it’s the most lucrative joke you’ve ever told,” chortles his agent (John Ortiz). Hype around the book intensifies and Monk’s unease impacts potential romance with lawyer Coraline (Erika Alexander) and concerns about his ailing mother Agnes (Leslie Uggams), which necessitate input from estranged brother Cliff (Brown).

Fittingly, not everything is black and white in American Fiction, which sparks uncomfortable but necessary discussion about how far attitudes have changed following global movements to address diversity and inclusion. The ensemble cast is excellent and Jefferson strikes a pleasing balance between humour and anguish. “This family’ll break your heart,” Cliff warns Coraline. Jefferson’s picture accomplishes that feat, particularly in scenes where Monk acknowledges he is gradually losing his mother to Alzheimer’s. That’s not an ending any writer would willingly choose.

– Jo Planter