For a movie about writers, this sure does have a great script! Made me laugh many times and the acting across the board was really good. Well definitely rewatch when it becomes avalible digitally.
Jeffrey Wright was absolutely exceptional in this role amongst the rest of this phenomenal cast; and I really enjoyed the story as well as all of the character dynamics and intricacies between them. This movie hit on a lot of very important topics in an extremely tactful way, and instead of clubbing you over the head with someone's idea, it leaves you with multiple points of view allowing you to discern your own conclusion.
I also just want to add that the entire way the publishing and media industry was represented is sadly all too believable.
Like inhaling helium: funny and left me feeling unexpectedly buoyant.
Nothing like a cutting satire that's this sharp.
(And I'm not saying that just because the central character reminded me a lot of myself :sweat_smile:)
By squashing together two thematically juxtaposed storylines, American Fiction drives home its point about America's derivative, stereotypical and one dimensional take on race. Traditional media likes to pander, simplify and stereotype black lives, instead of just telling the breadth of variety to the black experience from each unique viewpoint. By showing both a satire of this oversimplification through Monks success, and giving us a window into Monks personal life full of family issues, relationship struggles and financial woes, we're given a running dialogue that equally critiques the current status quo while also showing the truth of a unique, valid black experience. For something with such a lofty message, American Fiction is very easy viewing; equal parts emotional, humourous and punctuated with a buttery smooth soundtrack, you'll be hard pressed to not finish this one if you start. Does its inclusion in the Oscar race play right into the very problem it's satirising though? That's another debate for another time.
Great acting. The storyline was masterfully executed. 10 - 20 mins into the movie I thought I was going to hate it,but all the events come together. I really enjoyed it and yes it is a MUST WATCH!
What a wonderfully sweet, sad and funny movie. Been a long time since I grinned so much at the screen.
A witty, self-aware script, and Jeffrey Wright, at the centre of almost every scene, gives a fantastic performance portraying the emotions of a man who for much of the film is trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to keep a lid on his anger. The subject matter is interesting... and yet... it is really two interwoven films in one - a broad social satire and a family drama.
Unfortunately, while the family drama tries to pull the film in a serious direction and give it depth (I think the director really wants this to be the heart of the film), it disappoints me. Sterling Brown is great fun as a ne'er-do-well brother when he is playing for laughs, but the other family members and his new love interest, while acted competently, are given cliched roles I feel I have seen before. And in the end, while it takes a poke at race representation in film and books, I don't feel it really wrestles with the issues it raises, preferring to poke fun at the worst excesses.
I enjoyed the film throughout - it is certainly well worth watching - but I couldn't help wishing it went deep as well as broad in its social satire and hadn't tried also to show a little heart.
Fantastic movie, which is a commentary on an industry that portrays a continuous stereotype. Funny,laugh out moments. Really enjoyed is an easy recommend.
American Fiction is a fascinating movie that is both a lot more and a lot less than I was initially expecting. There are essentially two separate stories here, that while they do interact and influence each other, also feel distinct in a way where I feel they do not exactly complement/reflect each other as well as they could. The A plot is what the trailer heavily plays into, the idea of a black writer who plays into racial stereotypes to illustrate the absurdity of tokenization, only to then see himself become a bestseller. The B plot revolves around a surprisingly deep exploration of the same writer's personal relationships and ties to his family and close ones. The A plot brings the humor, with some excellent comedic moments, as well as thematic depth including some fairly open-ended but complex topics that left me thinking about the multitude of sides to the idea of identity and how it is reflected in media and literature. Despite feeling slightly open-ended, I feel the movie is a microcosm of the entire idea it is dissecting, and so I was okay with it leaving us feeling like there were no easy answers. The B plot, however, also feels like it never fully resolves some of the character arcs that were set up. And while I do understand the conceptual idea of there being no easy answers there either, I did feel a bit let down in that regard. Still, I was not expecting the character study aspect, and I found it a welcome surprise, even if I wish the A plot and it were more balanced (the B plot tends to dominate the movie in my opinion) and complementary. Sterling K. Brown's acting in particular deserves special attention because I found it incredible and honestly one of my favorites of 2023.
American Fiction has a great message, even if it's heavy-handed. Jeffery Wright is fantastic, as is the supporting cast. It's a complex story with some laughs and is very much worth your time.
This will probably be among the most well liked Oscar contenders, it's a very accessible crowdpleaser with clever writing and comedy. The scenes satirizing the exploitation & commercialization of black art are easily among the film's most entertaining moments, but it loses steam whenever it cuts back to the stuff about Monk's personal life (despite some pretty great acting by Sterling K. Brown). I also found the filmmaking pretty average; the locations and cinematography are decent but lacking in vision or personality. The acting's generally pretty good, but it probably would've been better if some of the wackiness remained more understated. It all leads back to the same issue for me; this needed a more experienced director at the helm (e.g. I'd love to see Spike Lee's version of this). The writing carries it a long way but some of the watered down choices make it feel more like a disposable streaming film than it should.
5.5/10
Absolutely brilliant! The humor, script, and critiques were all outstanding. The cast was marvelous! Jeffrey Wright did an incredible job as the protagonist, and Sterling Brown delivered beautifully in the role of the brother, stealing the scene whenever he appeared. But I must also highlight Leslie Uggams' amazing performance as Monk's mother. Everything was so well thought out, fitting together perfectly!
"It's always easier dealing with other people's families than your own."
"I just think it's essential to listen to Black voices right now."
"Will she forgive him?"
"I don't know. The real Coraline won't return my phone calls."
Even better on a rewatch. Might be reaching 9/10 territory honestly.
The cast is good but this movie really is a chore to get through. A story about the profiting off of stereotypes told through the plot of a tired cliche. The only redeeming quality is the meta aspect of this movie getting a Best Picture nomination because liberals love to make fun of themselves while thinking they’re one of the good ones.
Before writing my review of this movie, I did something that I usually never do: I read the user reviews at tratktv.com. Not surprisingly, the comments on this movie are all over the place: it was a social commentary, b-movie plot, heavy handed, satirical, funny, exploitive.... well, you get the picture. Were we all watching the same movie? Yes, of course. And I think that is part of the brilliance of the movie. In a weird kind of way it very much reminded me of Barbie. The movie can work at a very superficial level, but if the viewer dares to look underneath, there seems to be a limitless amount of layers that can be investigated. It isn't surprising that we all saw it differently. I love a movie that allows a viewer to get inside and crawl around in it. It is easily in my top 5 of the year.
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Went into this one blind and perhaps the most interesting aspect of it was how the central premise felt more like a B plot. It'd be interesting to look into relative screen time, but I suspect family/relationship drama comprises as much, if not more, than the pseudonym author plot. Luckily, the writing and performances are strong enough to make both plotlines compelling. I will say that the meta ending felt a bit like a copout, but even there the execution (and a hilarious performance by Adam Brody) makes it work. I don't know if Jeffery Wright's performance will be enough to land him the Oscar, but at the very least I hope it lands him more leading roles, because he deserves them.
So sweet and clearly expressed thoughts do not need any excessive approval. It is also obvious that simplicity here has a double or even triple bottom. This story about the life of a highbrow writer looks easy, because there is no falsehood in it. Black is called black, white is called white . And the ending is good!
Wright's a delight. SKB steals every scene he's in. Absolutely hilarious yet sobering portrayal by him. The acting by most everyone was quite good. Incredibly effective satire mixed with real drama. The family banter in this felt so natural and unforced. That was the main highlight. A very enjoyable 8.2.
amazing movie. heart warming and the characters are pure fit. WATCH AND YOU WON'T REGRET
A great film with a strong message, one that isn't subtly given to the viewer but rather hits like a sledgehammer. The acting is brilliant, and I think Sterling K Brown is just fantastic in this. Wright is always a delight to watch. With its narrative being so heavy on racism and class, the Academy were always going to eat this up, but it's a great ride from start to finish.
While it took a while to get engaged, this film accomplished it's main goals (don't want to give anything away). This felt like it could have been produced 30 years ago and still be relevant. It's not flashy or fast paced, it's grounded in reality and it's slow in its pacing. It feels like I'm following an average man, mired in his black identity, while experiencing wholesome as well as heartbreaking moments.
Brilliant movie. The dialogues are so well written. It has comedy , drama , emotion and everything else.
Great movie and as Percival Everett was an Executive Producer could see why.
Fantastic look at a man's struggle to find himself. Jeffrey Wright is fantastic, the pacing is perfect, and the story is unique. Loved it
In 2024 Sterling K Brown is IN!
Also Loraine and Maynard are too good for this world
Personally I did not care for the ending of this movie, however, the preceding minutes were totally entertaining and enjoyable.
At this point in time I don't believe Jeffrey Wright can do anything bad and the rest of the cast here ably supported in this.
Damn what the fuck did the lower class do to you Cord Jefferson? Keep being the very thing that you mock: a white liberal.
Yes I just said that.
I was pleasantly surprised when this got FIVE oscar nominations but now I've actually seen it I can see why the academy ate this up...
There's always at least one best picture nom that pisses me off lol.
This film has a weird hatred for black people and is targeted entirely for middle-class white folks so they can join in at laughing at an entire demographic. I've thought about this and I genuinely don't think I'm missing the point because when the film is self-aware about it or specifically commenting on this matter it's then just a masturbatory exercise of Cord Jefferson trying to justify his literal racism (through terrible writing btw).
I liked the ending (+ final shot) but mostly because the whole movie can be summed up in those final twenty minutes or so. The rest is dragged out identity-politics nonsense that pretends to be satire.
Mean-spirited movies are the fucking worst. Almost as bad as people who 'don't see race'.
What an awesome and thought-provoking story that took me down a peg and made me laugh the whole time
‘American Fiction’ is an original drama script that uses satire to speak of society. At least in American society. I don’t know if it would resonate as much with non-American audiences. Jeffrey Wright plays Monk Ellison, a college professor, who feels frustrated with white America's sense of guilt over history and pandering to ideas that perpetuate black stereotypes. Ellison, who is black, doesn’t see people for the color of their skin but for the content of their ideas. He writes novels using proper English and aspires to be considered a ‘great author’ rather than a ‘great Black author.’ However, he realizes the ideas that make money and get picked up by publishers are based not on actual good ideas. To mock the publishers and the system, he, under a pseudonym, writes a novel that uses every stereotype that people might have for black Americans. Ellison depicts himself as Stagg R. Leigh, a violent, drug-using, escaped convict from prison wanted for murder (every other stereotype you can think of), using street lingo in writing as a massive troll job. To his dismay, a publisher picks up the novel, not realizing the whole thing is satire and mockery. Monk’s agent convinces him to play along, even if it means going against everything he believes in. The rest of the film is him trying to grapple with reality and make sense of his worldview.
Acting, directing, witty writing, and cinematography are on point. The entire cast was likable, but Wright stole the show. It’s a very well-done film that uses satire to express points that people have difficulty talking about. I believe social commentary for serious subjects is best done using comedy, so people can better appreciate it rather than become alienated. I believe Monk feels that society should not use racism to fight racism, and I think it’s correct. Ideas should not be judged on race. The only way racism ends is by focusing on what MLK Jr. said: judge not on the color of one’s skin but the content of their character/ideas. The film dwells on other ideas, including depression, mental health, family drama, and sexual orientation. I don’t have the film rated higher because the ending felt like a cop-out. Perhaps ending it satisfyingly would be difficult. The pacing wasn’t always great either.
Would I recommend this? Yes, it’s worth watching. Some people may not get it, but I think there is depth in the ideas if you look.
8/10
Sensational! It makes you laugh and think about how much of that is actually reflected in society for real. And then after a while you stop laughing ….
An accurate portrait of a very narrow sliver of the African-American experience. It's incredible how many little pieces of the movie ring true, but the overall execution is held back by its unwillingness to suggest an answer or provide a conclusion.
Well, this could have been more intelligent, but it remains an average tale. It getting 5 Oscar nominations kind of proved the point it made. The satire landed well. It is well written and well-acted, but for a Oscar film, I expected more.
This is a life story of Monk, a talented but not-so-popular black writer. He wants to be recognised as a writer and not a black writer. For some reason, all his works fail to rise above the African-American tag. Out of frustration he writers a 'black' novel under a pen name which becomes famous overnight.
We see the struggle Monk faces, we also see the situations where he has to cash in the cheque even if he disdains the way he has earned it.
The first half is entertaining and speedy. But the second half drags a bit. The talented and quick-witted writing slowly loses its grip. The ending also feels a bit escapist. It tries to go above and beyond by deliberately avoiding exposition, but that did not land very well with me. I long for well-written screenplays, this could be it, but did not reach that mark.
I suppose, I might need one more watch to appreciate this, but let me know what you liked best about this if you have seen it and liked it.
Breaking Stereotypes: Cord Jefferson's Bold Satirical Debut challenges stereotypes with humor and insight, offering a fresh take on race and identity.
picked this out of curiosity, was under the impression it would lean more in the comedy aspect of it, but it ended up being a solid dramedu. it wasn't in anyway bad it had some really great moments , but it has been a while since I watched a movie in which all the main characters were flat out unlikeable (nothing to do with the cast they all played their roles greatly). it has a LOT of clever contradictions and situations that make you laugh because they are not only bizarre but because they are actually happening. I think I need to give it a re-watch In a couple years when I am no longer expecting to see a comedy, and maybe I will appreciate some of the nuances more.
I have always enjoyed Jeffrey Wright and he did not disappoint. Awesome movie. This had my attention from beginning to end. Complex, well written, the actors were all on target. Absolutely loved it - highly recommend
I had not heard of this movie until award season, and typically I am not the biggest fan of most of the critically acclaimed choices. When it comes to these movies I objectively appreciate more than I enjoy, but this was not the case with American Fiction! This was a great time, that was well written and incredibly thought provoking. Will certainly watch this one many more times!
Rating: 4.5/5 - 90% - Highly Recommend
How many times can you layer irony into a script before it boomerangs back as reality? This movie walks that line. It is written as a mock of itself (and I burst out laughing when the line, “Time to pick out your tux, my brother”. It was just too on point in this award season. 5 Oscar nominations, 1 win, 165 award nominations, 65 wins). Great writing, impressive performances, a great watch for people who enjoy movies with their little grey cells. I give this film a high 7 (clever) out of 10. [Drama]
Smart and funny movie with an inherent truth that is stranger than fiction.
Jeffrey Wright is an amazing actor. He's the most interesting part of this movie. However, the main story seems too simplistic, it portrays liberals as dumb as they could get. The opening was a great example of how to do it right, but the rest falls short of being authentic, resorting to mockery and cheap laughs.
All in all I enjoyed the movie and totally recommend it. 7/10
While the satirical elements may come across as tame and simplistic, it's hard to judge without being part of the depicted environment. Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised by the engaging portrayal of the frustrated author, whose arrogance and bitterness toward the world hinder his ability to connect with those around him. The family drama surrounding the main storyline unfolds rather mechanically, but finds strength and a degree of authenticity in the overall performance of the cast.
Slow, long, boring, not funny. I don't understand the good ratings.
It is a great concept to juxtapose two conflicting narratives the way they did it to broad the so-called "black experience". The problem is that, while one of them is actually well-written and moving, the other is the dumbest satire ever. Rich white people can be dense, but they just pushed it to the realm of disbelief. And I'll say it: Atlanta, the TV show, already did this, but much much better.
Film 106 (Goal: 300) of 2024
Not a giant review this time - which isn't a reflection on the quality of the film. American Fiction is a fantastic film from first time feature director and writer Cord Jefferson which takes a look at racial representation in today's media. I think this is going to be one of those films that will be overlooked initially before coming back to the zeitgeist due to it's topical subject. American Fiction focuses on how far are you willing to go, to appease the mass media. This is led by a strong performance from the always reliable Jeffrey Wright. Wright's character, Thelonious Monk is a talented but plateauing writer. Fed up with his position in life, after being told his writing isn't black enough, Monk decides to write a piece where his voice is turned up to 11. Originally conceived as a joke, he begins to find success and while keeping his pseudonym a secret, he begins to find more success as the media laps up his heightened characteristics.
It's a delicate topic yet Cord Jefferson writes and directs so that it's extremely accessible. The film never feels like a burden, and it's jazzy score underlines that there is a emotional depth and humour to all of this. Not sure how well the ending landed with me. While I understand the message behind the ending, I felt the film lost it's way slightly. A good portion of the film is spent around family, and while family drives Monk to do what he does, it at times feels like two different films.
That aside, American Fiction is an excellent first film from Cord Jefferson. He's going to be one to watch for the future.
Despite dealing with complex themes, the script elaborates them with outstanding ease and clarity. Embracing this exceptional support, the rest of the artistic team brings a confidence that benefits their characters. The introduction of a family life full of complexities, reproaches and misunderstandings serves to build Monk's character, and even in some moments contradicts his own speech, with a counterpoint splendidly performed by Sterling K. Brown. And together with Laura Karpman's music that pays tribute to Thelonious Monk, it ends up being an intelligent and hilariously sarcastic journey.
I found American Fiction to be a very funny and entertaining comedy that made me genuinely laugh at several points. Satire on racial social dynamism in America is intelligently portrayed through the books. I thought the script was great, as it generates an interesting narrative that never loses its magic and perfectly builds its characters, giving them depth, even the dead father. Don't Look Up was released years ago, with a similar social commentary, however I didn't enjoy it, it seemed very forced to me; American Fiction straddled the line between real absurdity and gross absurdity.
"American Fiction" is a biting satire that primarily takes aim at the liberal elite. The plot revolves around a respected but unsuccessful black author who publishes a novel rife with stereotypes about black people under a pseudonym in protest, which subsequently becomes a smash hit.
Jeffrey Wright is brilliant in the lead role. With his dry reactions to the absurd circumstances, he provides many funny moments. As a supporting actor, Sterling K. Brown also manages to generate some laughs in a small but not insignificant role. In addition to the satire part, "American Fiction" is also a family drama, and this aspect left me rather cold. Fortunately, the focus is on the satire, as this is what ultimately helped the film (quite rightly) to receive several Oscar nominations.
The funniest thing about this yawn of a yarn comes when you learn it's up for five Oscars.
I would give it an 8.5/10 (and I'd round down to 8 for most rating systems). The movie didn't begin as I expected? but I honestly just liked it more and more as it went on. A story 100% worth telling and watching, in my opinion. Would have liked to see more of Sterling K. Brown bc I love him (impossible to get enough haha), but everyone did a great job. I cried once or twice. I def hope to see more from the director! And I wish I had more time to read bc I am also very curious abt the book that inspired it all!
It really smells as an exemplary movie from a contemporary US fiction novel, one of those which mixes too many themes without focusing on anything, with a lot of family dramas which fail to take a clear direction. The first half of the movie shows most of these issues, then the comedic timing improves, and the ending is indeed good.
What this movie does well is depicting nowadays California - all those soy drinking entitled superficial lefty liberal idiots. That was on point for sure.
The rest felt kinda meh. When main characters saying several times things like "thank god you're not white" it's not a satire already, just woke and racist.
Also, the ending was weak. They didn't know how to end it well, so just left it vague.
If you want to see a really great satire depicting the world that we have right now I'd recommend go and watch "Don't look up". Much better satire for sure.
The trailer has all the stuff you need to see in this movie. Could be good but it was flat and very disappointment. I Don't get the buzz and the whole sum of Oscar nominees. The ending was absurd.
This movie was possibly the most bland and boring thing I've seen this year. The main reason for that is the marketing that sells this as a 'biting satire'. It's not that. There is no satire in this movie, other than one character writing a satirical novel. That does not make the movie satirical. At most this movie is a boring melodramatic family dramedy, with comedy that feels like it's written for my grandparents. And that's fine! But don't sell your movie as a satire when it's not.
I sincerely fail to understand why this movie is getting all the acclaim and praise that it's gotten. All of the white critics on Rotten Tomatoes are fucking fawning over this thing, praising it for being 'witty', 'cerebral', and 'sharp'. It is objectively not any of those things! The most that this movie has to say is "Wow! Black people are a diverse group of people and they deserve that representation on screen, not the racial stereotypes our media contains." And that's a very good message! I fullheartedly agree with that! But that is also not a 'witty', 'cerebral', or 'sharp' message! It's not presented in an interesting way, and the writer and director have absolutely nothing interesting to say about it. The most they do is say "Haha look! A black man is profiting off of a book with false racial stereotypes that he made, and white people love it! Isn't that funny?" And like yeah that's a bit funny, but it gets tiring and old when that is the only fucking thing said in the entire movie. It gets old.
And again, I wholeheartedly agree with this message. I think it's great! I think that this kind of representation on screen is great and we need more of it. I understand that this content wasn't meant for me, and that other people like it more than me. But you cannot praise a movie for 'destroying racial stereotypes in media' when it has absolutely not fucking done that! You cannot praise it for its commentary when its commentary consists of a single note played over and over the entire movie! The movie does what has already been done before. The drama is boring and slow. The acting is incredibly subdued and just... okay. The comedy is written by people in their 60's. And it has no substance, nothing for you to learn, nothing for you to come away from the movie changed and be like "Wow, that felt worth my time!"
The movie's a Hallmark movie, point blank. And to see it getting promoted as an 'Oscars dark horse' makes me fucking angry when there are so many more movies this year that are worth your time and that don't squander the millions of dollars put into them on something with no style, no substance, and no purpose.
If the trailer is more interesting than your movie, you have a problem.
Skip this, wait till it comes out on a streaming service and then watch it, if you can.
Shout by ParzivalBlockedParent2024-02-07T21:10:49Z
Potential is what people see when what's in front of them isn't good enough.
"It is an absolute blast. Not only is it a cleverly written dark satire, but it also delves into emotional themes of self-discovery and acceptance that complement the satire in a satisfying manner.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the scene where they are picking the winner and what one group of voters says to the other... It was the perfect way to get the point of the whole movie.