‘American Fiction’ Movie Review [Philadelphia Film Festival 2023]: Cord Jefferson’s Directorial Debut Is A Hilarious, Sharp-Witted Hit
Photo from the Philadelphia Film Festival
From Joe Peltzer
Rich with drama and searing takedowns of society’s appetite for performative Black identity politics rooted in stereotypes, Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction satiates the satirical appetite and features a pitch perfect performance from Jeffrey Wright.
Adapted from Perceval Everett’s novel ‘Erasure’, American Fiction follows a guarded writer nicknamed Monk (Wright), who channels his frustration with meaningless “Black” novels and writes his own to make a point, not expecting that both the publishing and film industries would fall head over heels for the product. The brilliance of American Fiction lies in the juxtaposition of the profitable, stereotypical “Black” stories being told (gangs, drugs, father issues, etc.) and the issues that Monk is facing in his own life. Isolationist behavior, family loss, maternal health challenges, and damaged relationships all around him. The film hilariously depicts a market driven by White individuals’ perceptions of the Black experience, yet ignores Black voices at every turn.
Tracee Ellis Ross is delightful as Monk’s sister Lisa while Erika Alexander proves an apt and meaningful sparring partner for Wright’s Monk as a new love interest. But this really is Wright’s film through and through, his sharp deliveries elevating the wickedly on point script from Jefferson. Some may take issue with the grandiose nature of the exaggerations when it comes to the ways in which the pervasive racism is presented (Issa Rae’s character has written a truly wild book), but that is clearly Jefferson’s intention. Largely caked in outrageous humor that is aided by acute visuals and editorial cuts that accentuate the point, American Fiction never loses sight of its purpose. Laura Karpman’s score escalates each poignant moment, each moment of comedy, driving so much of the emotion in compliment to the dialogue and scenes. Within those consistent moments of laughter can be found points of discussion that are left for the audience to ponder well after the credits roll. I cannot recall a film that better balances purpose with entertainment than this.
Perhaps the most insightful moments of the film come from the interactions between Monk and his brother Cliff (Sterling K. Brown), himself struggling with his identity and offering a processing of Monk’s internal struggles. That’s the beauty of American Fiction, a film that is both an uproariously funny satire and a touching, genuine story that I found relatable in more ways than one. Not only is this a stellar debut effort from Jefferson in the director’s chair, it’s also one of (if not the) best performance of Wright’s career and one of the finest films for 2023.
Rating: 4.5/5
American Fiction screened as the opening night film of the 32nd Philadelphia Film Festival and will hit theaters on December 15th, 2023.
