American Fiction (Cord Jefferson, 2023) Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz; novelist fed up with the establishment profiting from "Black" entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain
As the reviewers quoted below write, this is not narrowly concentrated on a thesis. It's a social and family narrative, and also funny at times. I was actually laughing out loud at the final ending, quite 'inappropriately'. You'll have to see it to know what I mean. It's not the kind of film that wins Oscars, but it should be remembered for a long time as a well-crafted, fine piece of work.
Wikipedia:
In her review for The Hollywood Reporter, Lovia Gyarke wrote that "American Fiction is smart and, thanks to its fine cast, has genuine heart", commending Wright's "subtle physicality […] that contributes depth to his character", as well as "Uggams' increasingly somber performance as Agnes and Brown’s delightful comedic turn".
Filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood praised the film, saying "Your first film should tell the world who you are as an artist. With American Fiction, Cord Jefferson has screamed into a bullhorn. Bold, chaotic, unflinching, personal. Cord has channeled his creative truths into a searing indictment of biased norms. As artists of color, we recognize all of it. The best humor comes from truth, and he yields laughter as a weapon. Forces offenders to pay attention. To take a look at themselves. But Cord wants more. He wants the world to see our humanity. So he couples his blistering satire with a heartbreaking family drama. His collaboration with Jeffrey Wright is a triumph, giving the actor the words and space to create a performance that conquers that same tightrope. Cord is a writer/director and he wholly owns this vision. This is a first film that excites us all for what’s to come next."
Radheyan Simonpillai:
The problem with making a movie as a response to the industry’s limitations, is that the the movie itself can feel limited to its very narrow intention. Jefferson, a TV writer on Succession and Master of None, acquits himself splendidly. His feature debut feels like Jordan Peele sneaked a bottle of pepper sauce into Alexander Payne’s Thanksgiving dinner. American Fiction is brimming with snappy, incisive banter and gags that a masterful ensemble cast led by Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K Brown and Tracee Ellis Ross take full advantage of.
Jefferson adapts Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure, weaving its parodic take on media, which is sadly just as relevant today, into a thorny existential character drama about a writer who feels unseen and yet never makes himself vulnerable enough for people to truly see him. The Guardian.
Peter Bradshaw:
Broad-brush American Fiction might be, but its approach to race and racism is oblique and unexpected, and it’s very funny about publishing’s literary ghetto.The Guardian.
IMDb page.
Wikipedia page.
Garry Gillard | New: 2 January, 2024 | Now: 21 February, 2024