Racial issues aren’t funny. But the way that we engage it as a culture can be laughable.
In American Fiction, Thelonius ‘Monk’ Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is a well-respected professor of English literature but he is struggling to leave his mark on the literary world himself. His latest novel has failed to catch on with publicists who claim that his story isn’t ‘Black’ enough. Seeking some fresh air, he returns home to visit his family and participate in a literary festival. But after a family tragedy puts him in a financial bind, Monk decides to pander to the common reader with a fictional story about Black misery.
Written and directed by Cord Jefferson, American Fiction is as insightful as it is incisive with its satire. Based on the book Erasure, it’s sharply-written and executed in the way that it challenges assumptions about race in modern culture. Fiction knows how to address the concept of race while laughing at the way it’s shaped by cultural stereotyping.
Leading the way is an absolutely incredible performance by Wright. With heart and humour, Wright bares a little piece of his soul through the Harvard-educated author. Whether he is arguing with students about the right to read outdated literature or grappling with the challenges of a mother with Alzheimer’s, Wright’s Monk carries himself with a conflicted charm. Although he’s a man of reason and logic, his character is also one of deeply rooted emotions. With a nuanced performance, Wright breathes life into Monk, giving him a likability and warmth that balances out his cooler persona.
To put it simply, American Fiction is funny, fierce and one of the best films of the year.
American Fiction is playing at TIFF ’23. For more information, click here.
