American Fiction

There's always 1-2 films near the beginning of the year that technically came out the year before, but in Denver I only had access to them recently. 

American Fiction is 2024's last-year-but-really-this-year movie as it finally made its way to Denver. It has had a whip-smart trailer for several months now that has played big in nearly every genre of film it has been in front of. 

I'm thrilled that it not only lived up to, but surpassed the trailers; I adored this movie. Against 2023 competition, it's hard to say where it would have landed, but I do think it may have cracked my Top 10. Alas, that's now a 2024 feat it will have to muster, but at the very least, it's wonderful to start the year off with such a great movie. 

American Fiction is about "Monk" (his real name is Thelonious), played by Jeffrey Wright, and his frustration as an unsuccessful writer *preach!*. Monk is African American, but writes the stories he wants to, not leaning into his race, but emphasizing complex characters, satisfying arcs, and storytelling. As the trailer would indicate, he writes a story and makes it as...ahem...black as possible. It becomes a runaway hit, much to the dismay of Monk, who views it as trash. 

From the trailers alone, you'd think this is a straight comedy that walks a very fine line. That much is very true and there's some incredibly smart writing here, not only from a comedic standpoint, but also its ability to speak about complex issues. It navigates these often-uncomfortable waters with ease not aiming to make you comfortable, but aiming to provide several viewpoints. And that it does this in not only thoughtful ways, but hilarious ones makes it all the better. This is a film that consistently had me laughing. 

The part that's less obvious in the trailers is the family drama. This portion is only the "lesser" of the two because the comedy and commentary is so good, but there are complex family dynamics, with highly likable characters that I was invested in. Their conversations are often more focused on the relationship they had with their parents and each other (as brothers and sister). Perhaps my only issue with the film is that the family "stuff" doesn't always feel like it's attached to what's going on in the background of Monk's writing life. This could be more nuanced than I'm remembering, so perhaps a re-watch is in order down the line, something my wife and I would gladly partake in (she loved it as well). 

American Fiction kicks off 2024 with a distinctly memorable film. It's well made, the writing is smart and very funny, while our performances are across-the-board highlights, especially Jeffrey Wright who not only feels like he's having a lot of fun, but that he genuinely cares about the material and characters. This is one worth spending your money on. 

Rapid Rath's Review Score | 8.5/10