TIFF 2023: American Fiction Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Time for a sleeper to come out of nowhere and surprise audiences. American Fiction is definitely a film that fits that bill. The feature writing and directorial debut of Cord Jefferson, primarily known for writing for television, he brings all that experience here. Setting its sights on tired racial stereotypes and society’s obsession with marginalized voices for whom they put in boxes according to those stereotypes and exploiting them to their benefit. However, said voices are more than the stereotypes and various tropes many have wrongly used to define them. Guiding the ship is a career-best performance from Jeffrey Wright who is more than up to the task in a lead role that puts all his talents on full display.

American Fiction follows Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Wright), a frustrated novelist and professor who was fed up with how on society profits on so called Black stories made up of lazy tropes and stereotypes. A contrarian more often than not, his differing views and general disdain tended to ruffle some feathers and made him difficult to work with and it was only a matter of time until that would catch up with him. Only adding to his frustration, his latest book failed to gain any traction in the eyes of publishers who believed it to be not Black enough. Sent back to his hometown of Boston to attend a literary festival, a new bestselling novel Monk deemed to be merely pandering those aforementioned masses gained his ire. Nevertheless, his family drama was the more pressing issue as tragedy and his ailing mother left him essentially alone to deal with all of it in the midst of everything else. Meanwhile, he sought to spite the those who have wronged him by writing a book containing every Black cliché, trope, and stereotype he can think of under a pseudonym. What was meant to be a joke was surprisingly picked up by a major publisher with Hollywood not far behind, resulting in quite the payday for Monk.

Faced with the monster he created, Monk must come to terms with himself and reconcile his views as he became the thing he disdained. As the situation spiraled further out of control, as did he, becoming resentful of his own success and distancing himself from others. In the end, largely estranged from his own family, perhaps his trip back home was what he needed to reconnect and find an end to his story. The best part of the film was ultimately its writing and performances. The sharp dialog is hilarious while the story remains grounded. In terms of performances, Wright and his range clearly lead the way. He can not only deliver hilarious lines but also offer compelling moments of introspection as Monk had to look within himself. Though he may not be the most likable character, he is one that audiences could relate to and empathize with. Brown, as Monk’s brother Cliff, is a scene-stealer. bringing an energy that provides a nice counterbalance.

At the end of the day, American Fiction is a sharp and hilarious satire offering plenty of heart and a stellar performance from Jeffrey Wright.

*still courtesy of Orion Pictures*

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.