In the coming years, I can see American Fiction becoming regarded as one of the best movies of the 00s. I knew very little about this, but I am so glad I went to see it during its limited run in my theatre. The movie was written and directed by Cord Jefferson in what is his directorial debut and I just do not see how he is ever going to be able to top this!
How to Download American Fiction
American Fiction was released on December 15, 2023. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform such as Amazon Prime Video. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
We have a fantastic ensemble cast of some of the best black actors around, led by a powerhouse performance by Jeffrey Wright who plays the role of a professor/writer called “Monk”. While he is undoubtedly the main character, it was Sterling K. Brown as his brother, Cliff who stole the show for me. I was already a huge fan of his, but he has so many great moments in this movie.
Sterling K. Brown’s Memorable Performance
From him threatening to beat a guy up complaining about them spreading his sister’s ashes to him telling Monk that it is ok for him to be drinking at 8 AM as he is not flying the plane. While there are so many funny moments in this movie, it also has a lot of heart and dives into some serious topics that make you think and are great to discuss after the movie.
Exploring Themes and Plot
American Fiction is a comedy about a man called Monk. He struggles with the black stereotypes that are portrayed in the media. Especially when his book does not do as well as a rival author who plays into black stereotypes and is a huge success as a result of this. He takes a trip back to his hometown of Boston where he meets up with his estranged brother Cliff, Cliff by the way is far deeper than you would think.
Monk’s Controversial Parody Book
We meet his mother who is suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and the money and care she needs makes Monk come up with an idea. He writes a parody book under a different name, basically full of every kind of black stereotype you can imagine. To his surprise, the book blows up and everyone loves it!
The Complex Journey of Success
He keeps it a secret to those closest to him that he writes this and has a new persona to sell the book, this persona is another over-the-top black stereotype. Monk starts to achieve critical and financial success like he never imagined, but he constantly questions how it is all happening.
A Captivating and Thought-Provoking Film
Look, American Fiction is just a straight-up awesome movie. I was into this from the start and I laughed throughout it, but it also made me feel a great deal for some of the characters too. It is far more than just your average “comedy”. It is a movie that just captivates you and never lets you go.
A Perfect 10
This is one of the best movies I have seen in the last decade. It is honestly a perfect 10, I legit have nothing negative to say about this at all. I have yet to meet anyone or hear from someone who has seen it and did not like it! This is 100 percent a day-one purchase for me when it comes out on Blu-Ray or 4K!
