American Fiction

Based on the book “Erasure” by Percival Everett, American Fiction utilizes an ambitious narrative style to show a Black author named Monk combating the system of racial prejudice. Monk writes as a joke the most stereotypically Black novel ever written, which like in the climax of Mel Brooks’ The Producers, ends up a massive accidental success. Since Monk’s content lacks the Black stereotypes that bring White readers comfort, he’s mistreated by the publishing industry, which directly parallels America in the real world. This movie is careful to address how much White Americans promote mediocre, safe Black stories, then hypocritically don’t consider what the Black community believes which African American stories should be celebrated.
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Besides the hilariously unapologetic honesty this film expresses about America’s racial standards, it’s also greatly personal in depicting the confrontation between siblings as they deal with death and Alzheimer’s. With its heart in the right place, this motion picture bashes on the same Academy of Motion Pictures that routinely awards White savior drivel like Green Book instead of promoting stories about the true Black experience. Thus, it’s quite awesome to see this introspective satirical drama still receive much Oscar glory by winning the award for Best Adapted Screenplay! Its landmark win shall mark the instance when more courageous films in the future will be rightfully awarded for how they give minority groups their overdue opportunity to tell their own stories.

R (DLV)
Comedy/Drama
1 hr. 57 min.

Watch it to LEARN.
Watch it to feel HAPPY.
Watch it to feel SAD.