Between Oscar contender “Past Lives” and charming British rom-com “Rye Lane,” it’s glaringly apparent that 2023 was a fantastic year to make your directorial debut. Cord Jefferson is the latest to dip his toes into the pool with his clever social satire, “American Fiction.” Despite its bloated secondary plot line, Jefferson’s introduction is hilarious and razor-sharp.
The film revolves around writer and English professor Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, played by the glorious Jeffrey Wright. When his books fail to sell because they aren’t considered “Black enough,” he begrudgingly writes a satirical novel under a pseudonym, hoping to uncover the publishing world’s hypocrisies. All the while, he is thrust into family tragedy and forced to question his staunch worldviews.
Jefferson’s endlessly funny script intertwined with a compelling, insightful social commentary propels “American Fiction” to success. Through Monk’s ascension to the top, the film exposes and critiques Black representation in media, condemning its over-reliance on tragedy and misery. It doesn’t contend that stories about slavery, racial inequality and Black struggle are valueless, but questions the omission of nuanced Black stories — complex stories of intricate families or budding romances that don’t fixate on race. Monk’s personal dealings with his deteriorating mother and unruly brother highlight how this representation is possible and worthy.
The laughs are frequent, but a few scenes stood out above the pack. A lot of this stems from the white publishers and authors so desperate to consume and spread Black stories, to appear they are pillars of equality, only to shut down actual Black voices. From the title of his book morphing from “My Pafology” to just “F***” to the wince-worthy comments of Monk’s colleagues, there is so much to chew on while you laugh.
Wright turns in a commanding comedic performance. He captures Monk’s incredible intelligence and wit with a perfect dose of smugness. He’s so committed to his beliefs that he often needs to be challenged by his friends and family. While I wish the film would’ve challenged his perspective a bit more, there are moments, particularly from Issa Rae and Erika Alexander’s characters, that offer refreshing takes.
Sterling K. Brown is good as Monk’s brother Cliff, but I couldn’t get attached to his character. I had this problem with most characters attached to the family-focused secondary plot line. Monk’s family dynamics and personal life are essential and rightfully touched on, but their over-exposure largely takes away from the film’s meat. Jefferson struck gold with his astute satirical vision, so diversion from this structure feels like an interruption. At points, the film feels like it doesn’t know which basket to put its eggs in as the plot lines duel for screen time. I still enjoyed most of it as a means to flesh out Monk’s character, but I don’t think the characters and their conflicts were quite interesting enough to warrant so much screen time.
Visually, the film plays it pretty safe. It’s shot well, and there are a smattering of interesting choices, but nothing about the cinematography particularly caught my eye. It uses its coastal New England setting well but would have benefitted from a more striking color palette. The scene where Monk begins writing his new novel provides a fun, inventive break from the film’s conventions. I only wish Jefferson would have utilized more of his evident creativity later in the film.
Spearheaded by Wright’s dominant lead performance and a hysterical, thought-provoking satirical vision, “American Fiction” is an impressive filmmaking debut. Despite its flaws, I anticipate a slew of Oscar nominations.
Oscar nominations will be announced Jan. 23.
