American Fiction

In Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction, Monk (Jeffrey Wright) is an African American author and professor. After making a student cry over her refusal to acknowledge a racial slur in class, Monk is asked to take a break. He returns home to Boston for a book conference and to visit his family. When tragedy strikes, Monk is stuck in the caretaker role for his mother, who is developing Alzheimer’s. 

As his personal life gets more complicated, Monk is annoyed how stagnant his professional life has become. He hasn’t sold a book in years. In bookstores, his books are in the “black stories” section. And he is enraged how the popular trend of stereotypical black stories are sweeping. As a joke, rebellion, desperation or just a product of a couple drinks, Monk writes his own most ridiculously “black” novel he can dream up… and much to his dismay it becomes a hit!

As a writer, (my works of fiction currently unpublished) this film resonated so much in many different ways. There is the struggle to balance real life with writing goals. There is the frustration with rejection and seeing so much lowbrow literature getting published. But I loved Monk’s literary agent describing it with the different types of Johnny Walker. There’s a lot of blue label literature that just can’t get published, but a lot of shotty red gets the green light because they know it will sell. There’s a real struggle between being authentic and being profitable. To sell can mean to sell-out, become a part of the problem and come face to face with your own hypocrisy. 

One of my favorite scenes shows Monk writing his novel. Alone at night, clickety clacking away on his laptop and suddenly his two characters are in the room with him. We see his work come to life, hear the dialogue exchanged as Monk types it. Even better, the characters interact with Monk, criticizing the words as he writes them! And yes, the characters Monk creates look like cookie cutter stereotypes of what every American has been taught is a big-bad black man from the hood looks like, complete with an eye-patch! Yet, as we watch these two characters come to life and interact, they are more captivating than we had anticipated. Perhaps Monk really is writing a compelling story without meaning to do so.

But Monk’s real life is more interesting than his fiction. As his book gains popularity (under a pseudonym), he begins to lead a double life, claiming that the author of his novel has served time in jail and is a wanted fugitive. But it makes him even more money! And Monks needs the money to help take care of his mother and put her in a good home. He’s got a budding romance going on, has to take care of his mom, look out for his brother, try not to become his father and juggle his new thug life persona for movie rights! It’s a lot to handle. 

For that, leading us through this journey of hypocrisy and inner struggle, Jeffrey Wright has earned an acting nomination for lead actor. And Sterling K. Brown, who plays his brother, freshly out of the closet and trying to make up for lost time, has earned a nomination for supporting actor. Brown’s role is a bit manic, but a breath of fresh and fun air, and not at all a cookie-cutter gay character. He keeps Monk on his toes and steals the scenes in the most subtle ways. American Fiction is nominated for three other academy awards as well, Including Best Picture. Original score and  adapted screenplay.  

What makes American Fiction such a great film is how it challenges us, regardless of race, to question how we perceive black stories. Do white people only read these books or watch these movies because of their guilty consciences, only during black history month, or because someone nominated it for some award? And how damaging are these stories to the black community? How would previously nominated films like Precious and The Blind Side be perceived by the Academy now after seeing American Fiction? The critical thinking American Fiction sparks is wonderful and inspiring. It makes me excited to see more films directed by Cord Jefferson.

But is Monk guilty of pushing this racist agenda with his joke of a book? Is he a jerk for discrediting Golden’s book without even reading it? How long is he willing to let this hypocrisy go on? And is he morally wrong for making money, fame and awards off his joke of a book? I think Monk comes to terms with most of these questions by the end of the film, and invents a way to make amends to himself, at least a bit. He even gets to break the fourth wall in a way reminiscent of Mel Brooks, so that’s always fun.

“Potential is what people see when what’s in front of them isn’t good enough.”