‘American Fiction’ tells a satirical tale of what it takes to get published ‘while Black’

“American Fiction” is a funny and sharp satirical film that follows Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a professor and novelist, played by Jeffrey Wright. Monk is frustrated with the literary world’s penchant for publishing traumatic stories of Black people. These stories are usually littered with offensive stereotypes and tropes that are deemed “important” and “raw” by (mostly) white critics, yet rarely described as “well written.” Frustrated following professional setbacks and familial tragedies, Monk pens a pseudonymous novel “My Pafology” by Stagg R. Leigh, a gangbanging, cringeworthy cliché, out of spite.

“My Pafology” is soon acquired by a publisher who exclaims the work is “raw and real” and gives Monk the largest check he’s ever received for a novel. The money helps pay for Alzheimer’s care for his mother Agnes (Leslie Uggams). The buzz around “My Pafology” differs from his previous book about Persian mythology, which was “not Black enough” according to publishers and never acquired by a publishing house. Monk’s newfound success leaves him scratching his head and feeling incensed all the way to the bank.

Director Cord Jefferson, who previously wrote for award-winning shows like “Succession,” a satire about the wealthy 1%, is deft at balancing snarky humor and biting criticism of society without beating you over the head. For instance, the opening scene is a closeup of a board with the title of Flannery O’Connor’s short story “The Artificial Ni**er.” One of Monk’s white female students is offended by the title, and Monk tells her to get over it. Monk is then admonished by his mostly white colleagues for his insensitivity to his white student who is triggered by a racial slur aimed at Black people like himself. He is told to “take a break” from campus and heads to his hometown, Boston. 

Issa Rae (left) stars as Sintara Golden and Nicole Kempskie as Sintara’s moderator in “American Fiction.” PHOTO: Courtesy of ORION Pictures Inc. ©2023 Orion Releasing LLC. All Rights Reserved

Monk’s “break” is anything but, and he sees his literary rival, Sintara Golden, a Black author (played by Issa Rae) giving a talk at a book festival while promoting her best-selling novel “We’s Lives In Da Ghetto.” During her talk, Sintara reveals she is an Oberlin graduate and was a publishing assistant in New York City before writing her book with characters whose lives differ greatly from her own. As part of the literary establishment, Sintara, has few, if any, qualms about perpetuating the cycle of demeaning African American representation in literature.

The film falls flat when it ventures into emotional territory like Monk’s romance with Coraline (Erika Alexander) and the personal journey of Monk’s brother, Cliff (Sterling K. Brown). Cliff’s character morphs into a licentious middle-aged man who is difficult to take seriously and loses much of his depth. It would also be remiss not to note that part of this film has a jarring tonal change that threatens to upend its strengths. Despite this, the film is worthy of thoughtful viewing and careful consideration of its themes.

“American Fiction” is adapted by Jefferson from Percival Everett’s 2001 novel “Erasure.” It is the latest in a lineup of satirical films that critique negative depictions of African Americans in media, like Robert Townsend’s 1987 “Hollywood Shuffle” and Spike Lee’s 2000 film “Bamboozled.” These movies also criticize media executives who actively perpetuate these detrimental representations of Black people in the public imagination.

The sad reality is literary gatekeepers force the hands of Black authors by greenlighting a limited number Black novels with a high number of tired tropes. The literary establishment leaves little room for the stories of their colleagues like Sintara’s and Monk’s to be told. Instead, insidious stereotypes cycle through book pages and television screens. Occasionally a film like “American Fiction” is made and watched by audiences who are just aching for a different story to be told.