The Genius of ‘American Fiction’ (2023).
Going into this film, I was already aware of its uniquely entertaining premise: A black, middle-aged author struggles to get his works published, as they are deemed too intellectual, and experiences increasing frustration as other black authors get rich from writing books that promote black stereotypes for mass consumption. In a fit of anger, he submits a manuscript as a joke, mocking these types of works. This severely backfires when major publishers pick up the manuscript. The film then follows the author, Monk (Jeffrey Wright), as he tries to fake a “gangster” persona to keep his elaborate lie going while hating himself for doing so.
Monk (Jeffrey Wright).
It’s a unique and clever premise, adapted from the book Erasure (2001) by Percival Everett. I knew right off the bat that the film would be a good watch. What I wasn’t prepared for, however, was how that premise barely scratched the surface of the film’s depth. Whilst hilarious, American Fiction is a truly intelligent look into the racial biases of the publishing industry and the concept of capitalising on “diversity.” Cord Jefferson does a spectacular job as the director and writer of this adaptation. It is written with brilliant wit that remains consistently amusing throughout the runtime.
But that wit is balanced by heart. The film also intricately explores many of life’s struggles with grace and care. For starters, it captures the glories of being a writer, such as excessive drinking, sitting sadly in a bathtub, talking to yourself, imposter syndrome, and feeling inadequate to your siblings. On a more serious note, it also depicts complex familial relationships, trauma, depression, the struggles of homosexuality, and, most importantly, grief. The relationship between the three central siblings is very realistic for anyone who grew up in a flawed household. The three actors, Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, and Tracee Ellis Ross, perfectly capture what it means to be at odds with your siblings because of an imperfect upbringing whilst having so much love for each other.
Monk (Jeffrey Wright), Agnes (Leslie Uggams), and Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross).
Its portrayal of grief and depression is understated and effective, showing the range in which different people cope with loss. Monk drinks heavily and shuts himself off emotionally, whilst Cliff (Sterling K. Brown) adopts a hedonistic lifestyle, taking hard drugs and engaging in promiscuous sex. The film also conveys grief in its many forms outside of death, like when Monk’s mother, Agnes (Leslie Uggams), develops Alzheimer’s. We watch Monk struggle to look after her as her disease progresses, and she eventually requires professional care. The film touches on some of the struggles of homosexuality through Cliff, whose wife left him after she caught him in bed with a man. We see him bury his grief from the death of his sister, from the loss of his family, in his frequent sexual encounters, and we watch his heart shatter as his ill mother tells him, “I knew you weren’t a queer.” He struggles to find belonging among what little family he has left, even Monk, who remains emotionally distant due to his own struggles. As Cliff beautifully puts it, “Everybody gets busy. You drift away.”
Cliff (Sterling K. Brown) and Monk (Jeffrey Wright).
Although I cried more than once, I personally consider this film a modern comedy classic. The script was the funniest I’ve seen from a movie in a long time, and it was my best experience watching a middle-aged, disgruntled writer. The relationship between Monk and his publishing agent, Arthur (John Ortiz), was particularly hilarious as they bickered back and forth about how far to take their lie. The film’s meta ending was as well-thought-out as the rest of the film’s satire and had me roaring with laughter. Special mention is also needed for the genius simplicity of the line “I haven’t been myself lately.”
By the time the credits rolled, I only had three questions:
How do you get the nickname “Monk” from “Thelonious”?
Is everyone over 40 divorced?
Do I need to take up drinking to be considered a literary genius?
It’s no wonder why this film was nominated for so many awards. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for intelligent satire, a great laugh, and a good pull on the heartstrings.