Award-winning veteran actor Jeffrey Wright (Westworld, The Batman) is at the helm of the multi-layered cast. He concocts a social, literary experiment that pits him against Black stereotypes and his scholarly ethics.

American Fiction, based on the novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett, follows Thelonius “Monk” Ellison, an English professor who revels in controversy by examining the N-word in class, challenging student beliefs, and sparring with colleagues, which seems to stem from his dissatisfaction with the lackluster success of his last few novels and the impact they’ve had on the literary world. Adding to Monk’s dismal situation is his exuberant, no-holds-bar and comical agent, Arthur, played by the enigmatic John Ortiz (Silver Linings Playbook, American Gangster), who says publishers are passing on his latest novel.

After joining a barely-attended book conference with other writers in Boston, he seeks the hot new author in town, Sinatra Golden (Issa Rae, Barbie, Insecure), whose audience is brimming with fans. After listening to Sintara read excerpts from her book in hood-like dialogue, he’s shocked and weirdly drawn to her spell on the attentive crowd and the white moderator.

Snapped into reality by his disdain at the spectacle he just witnessed, he decides to create a Black book of his own under a pen name to dispel the truth that trauma and negative Black experiences sell. What ensues are comical exchanges between a stereotypical Black criminal son and absentee father as Monk writes their dialogue in real time with legendary actor Keith David (There’s Something About Mary, The Nice Guys) interpreting the father; that will have audiences howling with laughter, not to mention a whirlwind of attention from publishers and the public.

In the midst of Monk developing his literary farce, he’s faced with an ailing mother who may be on the brink of a mental collapse and connecting with his estranged siblings. Monk’s sister Lisa, wittily played by Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish, Girlfriends), who has been in charge of their mother’s care, and Cliff, played by Sterling K. Brown — while their lives unravel.

Jeffrey Wright plays Monk with the right amount of stoic anger, making him likable and memorable. His siblings, just like him, are flawed, multi-dimensional, and raw. Sterling K. Brown’s performance is brilliant as his “perfect” brother leading a double life. Then there’s Monk’s love interest, Coraline, played masterfully by Erika Alexander (Living Single, Get Out), who is a calming agent to the movie I rarely see in contemporary African-American films. Alexander’s character is refreshing, as is the film’s lively scoring throughout. The tone in American Fiction is reminiscent of Alexander Payne’s film Sideways, in which the two main characters seem devoid of redemption but are relatable to audiences in dealing with professional fulfillment and life’s ups and downs.

In a recent Q&A with Colt Jefferson (Survivor’s Remorse, Black-ish) at the Urbanworld 27th Film Festival’s opening night, where the film screened, the writer-filmmaker of American Fiction admitted he had Jeffrey Wright in mind as the main character while reading the novel and writing the script. Once he had Wright attached to the project, Issa Rae committed after reading the first six pages of the script, and Sterling K. Brown knew instantly this was the next project he wanted to be a part of while on a plane.

According to Jefferson:

“I think these talented, established actors were enthusiastic about being part of this movie because these types of roles are not offered to them. These are real parts with a leading Black actor, not in service of white characters to move the plot forward.” Hollywood is doing a disservice to talented Black artists by not creating movies like this.”

Winner of the Toronto International Film Festival’s 2023 People’s Choice Awards, American Fiction is in select theaters on December 15th, and a wider release is set for December 22nd. Don’t miss this fantastic comedic adaptation of the novel “Erasure” with a cast of colorful and in-depth Black characters with rich storylines.

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