THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
In modern times, the term ‘woke’ means to be alert of racial prejudice and discrimination. Many people like to be believe they are woke just because they know what’s offensive and aren’t aware they come off as bandwagons. I like it when those said people get called out about it films like American Fiction.
PLOT
Based on Percival Everett’s novel 'Erasure', the film follows Theodore ‘Monk’ Ellison, an intelligent upper class African American professor who has novels that sell poorly due to the public not being deemed black enough, which bothers him. When he is placed on temporary leave due to his brashness he embraced with a student over racial issues, he leaves Los Angeles to his hometown in Boston. When attending a seminar in the area, he would bothered more when seeing author Sintara Golden promoting a successful novel that panders to black stereotypes. Reuniting with his family doesn’t become satisfying either due to his mother Agnes suffering from Alzheimer’s, his sister Lisa passing away upon return and his brother Cliff going through a divorce after being caught sleeping with another man, now coping with the situation with frequent drug use and casual sex with multiple men. The only good thing that happens to him coming home is dating a lawyer named Coraline who’s going through her own divorce as well. With the costs to look after his mom, the frustration of Sintara’s success would cause him to write a satirical novel filled with all the tropes expected from a black writer he would name ‘My Pafology’. Out of contempt, he submits it and the publishers love it so much they offer $750,00 in advance. His agent Arthur would also convince him to adopt the fake persona of a convict named ‘Stagg R Leigh’ to maintain the facade and keep the money flowing. Pretending to be Stagg would continue to work to exponential lengths when a producer named Wiley wants to adapt a film adaptation of the book. Wanting to get out of the situation, he would try sabotaging the deal by changing the name of his book to called ‘Fuck’, which the publishing executives surprisingly end up agreeing to. Monk would also be invited to help judge the New England Book Association’s Literary Award alongside Sintara, as a diversity hire. When going over books with her and three other white judges, he realizes that she shares some of his views. When he later sets up Agnes to be in a nursing facility, her transition is not smooth as she would have unpredictable mood changes. When Cliff visits her, he would abruptly leave after a homophobic remark. With ‘Fuck’ becoming a bestseller, all but Arthur are unaware of his success and the FBI actually believes Stagg to be an actual fugitive they’re trying to track down. He ends up breaking up with Coraline when she admits to enjoy reading ‘Fuck’. When his family housekeeper Lorraine (Myra Lucrieta Thomas) gets married to her long lost lover Maynard (Raymond Anthony Thomas), her ceremony is held at the family beach house but Monk would be surprised to see Cliff crashing there, doing drugs and continuing multiple affairs. Despite the awkwardness, Lorraine is glad to have him to attend her wedding. As the day turns to night, Monk and Cliff wonder how their father would’ve reacted if he knew the latter was gay before dying of suicide, but would feel content with whatever truth he would’ve gotten because he would’ve tried to let him love of all him. The popularity of ‘Fuck’ would be so high to the point it would be in consideration to win the Literary Award. He would be relieved to know Sintara dislikes it, but would only be disappointed in how she doesn't see how similar it is to her recent book he deems as trauma porn inauthentic of African American middle class. In her case, she would defend that she did her research interviewing voiceless people and chose to give the market what they wanted, but doesn’t think it’s her fault white readers form stereotypes from it. ‘Fuck’ would then be announced as the winner of the Literary Award and it would appear that Monk would finally tell the truth. However, the screen cuts to black before revealing the story we were seeing was a script Monk wrote based on his experiences, an alternative to the film adaptation of ‘Fuck’ produced by Wiley, whereas he still hasn’t revealed his identity to the public and hasn’t made amends with Coraline. Wiley dislikes the ending where there is no resolution which he insists one for the film’s sake. Monk considers one in which he walks out of the ceremony and makes amends with Coraline, but Wiley seems it too romantic. So, he shares one in which he gets shot by the police who still mistook him to be Stagg. Wiley loves that and moves forward putting it in production. The film would end with him being picked up by Cliff and driving off the set after being acknowledged by one of Wiley’s actors.
THOUGHTS
It ain't easy to enjoy satire because you gotta understand the meaning behind the setting and the jokes for it to land. I'm lucky enough to understand it enough to enjoy what Writer/Director Cord Jefferson brings to the table. The whole time, I am either raising my eyebrow on what is displayed or just laughing on how it's done because that is the right balance of a dramedy. I definitely had a kicker when it came to Keith David & Okieriete Onaodowan playing Monk's characters who act based on how he writes them and wait for what comes next. It was one thing to cringe on how much of a poser Adam Brody makes Wiley, but that is topped from a singular scene from Michael Cyril Creighton as one of the executives, John Bosco. I mean the gall he had to not know what a durag is and consider releasing 'Fuck' by Juneteenth. All of this sells the deal that America will never appreciate black culture the way they think they do because they're so used to seeing them as victims which is where any person of color would have the right to be pissed about. I'm hispanic, so I do understand how upsetting it would be for my race to only known for the stereotypes. But there is a twist to what's being said here: It is important to call people out on not being truthful to their beliefs, but you also can't change their views as you please. In your own life, your opinions should be enough to satisfy you and you can't expect everyone to agree as you wish. As long as you accept yourself, that is enough to have a good life. All of these layers pay off thanks to what feels like the most encompassed ensemble to date. Jeffrey Wright isn't always the leading man yet when he does, he makes it count. It's no exception here in his Oscar nominated performance as he shows Monk as one who wants his opinions to be validated and can't stand how ignorant the world is around him. He is given such a nickname because he would choose to push away those who don't align with his ideologies, which made quite the dynamic with his family. He went out of his way to write 'Fuck' because he needed to rub it in everyone's face on how poor taste they have in storytelling. But with everyone still liking what he considers garbage is the big irony he puts up where you can be respected when you're not at your best. It is one thing to say Arthur is a stingy manager because he wants Monk to be successful for once but at the same time, John Ortiz shows him as one trying to look out for him since he knows of his struggles. Monk definitely had a connection with Coraline since Erika Alexander showed her to be very level hearted as she enjoyed his previous novels, but he made the mistake disconnecting with her when she liked 'Fuck', believing one different opinion is not worth moving forward. She does the right thing calling it quits because since she doesn't know it was his book, she found him being too picky of what dissatisfies him. Even if she were to forgive him for his attitude, it's not worth picking up where they left off like he fantasizes because he'll find something else to complain about and overthink it. I don't blame Monk for not confessing he wrote 'Fuck' because however the public were to react, they won't learn the lesson he's trying to teach. And that reasons his decision to stick with the cliched tragic ending where giving the people what they want is enough to be heard. Personally, I don't think he would've not done that had he met Sintara. At first, we want to be on Monk's side and see her as one who is uncultured. But we, like him, are surprised from Issa Rae's performance to see she is actually self aware of what she writes and doesn't care how everyone chooses to perceive her stories because she's grateful enough people choose to read them anyway. Taking a step back, I don't think Monk is the man we know him for without the dynamic family he grew up with. We're already saddened from the get go to see Leslie Uggams as the fragile matriarch that is Agnes, but it's a big whammy when Tracie Ellis Ross steals our hearts as the insightful Lisa only for her to quickly die minutes after introduction. The moment truly stings because it shows how much you have appreciate your loved ones before they're gone which is what Monk took to heart when it came to looking after their mom the way he did. What truly resonated with me was the presence of Cliff. Sterling K Brown was a scene stealer in his Oscar nominated performance because his arc spoke so much volumes. He was visibly reckless due to his decisions getting the best of him, dealing with his own identity crisis. With the loss of Lisa though, he was feeling proud of who he is more than before and he bonds with Monk for the first time by telling Monk to do the same. And I think that also helps with the decision of changing the ending the way he does. In short, American Fiction is a fantastic comedy for making sure the message was heard, earning the Best Picture nominee in the process. If satire is what you prefer, check this out.
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