American Fiction is directed by Cord Jefferson. Screenplay by Cord Jefferson, based on Erasure, by Percival Everett. Produced by Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson, and Jermaine Johnson.
For Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright), a writer living in Los Angeles, it’s just another day. Another fight. Even though he is capable of writing about the Greeks, the publishing industry refuses to accept his point of view about subjects considered exclusive to White people. Being labeled a Black writer rather than just a writer starts to take a toll on Monk, specially at his middle age phase.
To complicate things further, he goes back to his hometown in Boston and finds his mother Agnes (Leslie Uggams) experiencing the early stages of Alzheimer’s. While in Boston, Monk tries to reconnect with his sister Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross)—a gynecologist who takes care of their mom—but she dies suddenly, leaving him with the responsibility to care for Agnes. His brother Cliff (Sterling K. Brown), a plastic surgeon in Tucson, only visits once in a while and is not reliable.
Writer/Director Cord Jefferson uses comedy and stereotypes to explore the nuances of American society’s expectations of Black artists. Monk seems trapped in that perpetual realm where Black artists try to express and propose new ideas about pretty much any subject, only to find out that they are expected to continue the narrative of oppression and underdevelopment that White audiences like so much. And that’s exactly what Monk decides to do, give the readers what they want and play the game, with unexpected consequences.
American Fiction presents the two faces of the story. For one, White audiences are eager to read about the Black experience, but only if that experience involves poverty, oppression, violence, and harsh upbringing. Anything outside of that context is off-limits. The film is also a symbol of the frustrations of Black writers when they are not taken seriously if they try to explore topics that are not related to their past struggles of racism and mistreatment, two themes that been exploited persistently by mainstream media for decades in a form of detrimental cultural appropriation.
An amazing play titled Hooded or Being Black for Dummies by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm comes to mind when we talk about appropriation. In the play, the protagonist writes a manual for a fellow Black man about how to be Black. The manual, however, falls into the hands of a White man, who starts to speak and behave like a Black person, signifying the appropriation of the Black experience. Likewise, the White audiences in American Fiction seem to be in a relentless pursuit of Black stories, an attitude to show empathy and imply a new era of equality, whether real or imaginary. This can either be a true new beginning, or the perpetuation of a pervasive entrenchment of inequality.
American Fiction is based on Erasure, the 2001 novel by Percival Everett. Jefferson’s adaptation includes the subplots of Erasure: Sexual identity, family, professional jealousy, and ultimate surrender to the devouring forces of the American readership. One of the most poignant aspects of the film is how Jefferson tied together the various subplots of the story to reach a cohesive denouement without preaching what’s right or wrong. Rather, he allows the audience to come out with their own conclusions, opening the door for further discussions on the subject matter.
The film is also a technical treat, the cinematography by Cristina Dunlap plays well with the lighting intensities both in the interior shots as well as the exterior ones, highlighting the humorous and dramatic feel of the scenes. The score by Laura Karpman is a vibrant combination of bossa nova and jazz that gives a distinct mood to the entire film.
American Fiction
Directed by Cord Jefferson. Screenplay by Cord Jefferson. Based on Erasure by Percival Everett. Produced by Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson, and Jermaine Johnson. Executive producers: Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman, Percival Everett, Michael Bowes.
Production companies: Orion Pictures, MRC Film, T-Street Productions, and 3 Arts Entertainment.
Distributed by Amazon MGM Studios.
Starring Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Keith David, Okieriete Onaodowan, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Raymond Anthony Thomas, Miriam Shor, J.C. MacKenzie, Patrick Fischler, and Michael Cyril Creighton.
Creative team: Cinematographer Cristina Dunlap. Edited by Hilda Rasula. Music by Laura Karpman.
