American Fiction

 That last review was fun, wasn't it? Who's for another?

Unlike my last reviewed film, American Fiction is a film that warrants its Musical/Comedy categorization at the Golden Globes. It also warrants its multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and a surprising one for Best Original Score.

TV Writer Cord Jefferson (Watchmen, The Good Place) adapted his directorial debut from Percival Everett's novel Erasure. Its main character, Thelonious "Monk" Ellison (Jeffrey Wright), is an author and literary professor whose life and career have hit rock bottom. His few books are flops, and he has a hard time getting along with students and faculty. The university board sends him on a sabbatical back to his hometown of Boston for some family time. His timing is tragically unfortunate; his sister, Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), has a fatal heart attack in front of him, while their mother, Agnes (Leslie Uggams), comes down with Alzheimer's. What now?

Desperate to pay for Agnes's assisted living costs and annoyed by fellow author Sintara Golden's (Issa Rae) heavily stereotypical smash hit, We's Lives in Da Ghetto, Monk decides to write a stereotypically "black" book of his own. He writes the piece, My Pafology, an extremely melodramatic gang story, under the pseudonym of wanted fugitive "Stagg R. Leigh." He and his agent, Arthur (John Ortiz), are quite certain it won't sell. But it sells - even after Monk has them change the title into a certain naughty word - and it sells for a lot. He gets a lot richer when producer Wiley (Adam Brody) gets the film rights. Monk resents his unwanted success, which gets worse when he's tapped to judge a major literary award with his book as a contender.

It's entertaining to watch as Monk's lie snowballs out of control. It seems nothing can dissuade clueless executives from embracing Monk's new persona. As he puts it, "the dumber I behave, the richer I get" when his first, seemingly unsuccessful meeting with Wiley, nets him $4 million. It's even entertaining when Monk struggles to maintain his persona when meeting with executives. Its best gag is when Monk first writes My Pafology as protagonist Van Go (Okieriete Onaodowan) and his father, Willy (Keith David), materialize in Monk's office to act out a dramatic confrontation ... only to stumble whenever Monk hits a literary roadblock. It may have been one scene, but David and Onaodowan make the most of it.

There's plenty to think about with all the laughs. What we hear from Sintara's book yields, at best, a nervous laugh or two. A TV commercial celebrating black films - with a bleak montage - is rather morbid. Its most profound scene actually comes when we learn more about Sintara; not only does she detest My Pafology as much as Monk, but her book is based on interviews with real people. That reminds me of the climax in A Soldier's Story when protagonist Davenport asks the abusive Sgt. Waters's killer over who gives him the right to judge who's black. They may have different backgrounds, but as Monk points out to an ignorant bookstore employee, the ink is still black.

The film's supporting cast help accentuate Wright's performance. Agnes and Lisa help Monk mellow out from his insufferable genius attitude, even with a quip or two. Lisa specially makes the most of her limited screentime. Monk's neighbor, and eventual girlfriend, Coraline (Erika Alexander), spurs him into becoming a better man, which hits him right when it's too late for them. Agnes's housekeeper Lorraine (Myra Lucretia Taylor) gets a happier subplot as she dates, and marries, security guard Maynard (Raymond Anthony Thomas). Sterling K. Brown, whose performance as Monk's carefree brother, Cliff, earned him an Oscar nomination along with Wright, is a good foil to the star. He doesn't need to say much when Agnes inadvertently offends him.

I didn't really expect Laura Karpman to get nominated for her score, but it's good she got in. Her score makes for easy listening by itself, but each track perfectly accentuates whatever scene they're in. Lisa's funeral is quite moving (even as Cliff chases off an annoying neighbor), while Boston is introduced with a snazzy jazz number. Editor Hilda Rasula's contributions shouldn't be ignored; while Van Go and Willy are imaginary, their confrontation in Monk's office is perfectly tense. How they materialize in Monk's office is as nice a flourish as the film revealing a metafictional twist. See it to believe it.

Overall, American Fiction will leave you laughing and thinking as Monk's literary hoax spirals out of control. It's also great to watch Monk learn to relate better to people; I especially found his relationship with Agnes compelling. As this was produced by Amazon, it will probably make it there in no time, but see it however you can. But don't see it alone; it's fun to hear others' reactions. That's no fiction at all.