‘American Fiction’ review: Ambitious work can’t overcome its tonal clash

“American Fiction” is two movies masquerading as one, each of which may have been strong on its own but feels underdeveloped and fails to contribute to a cohesive whole.

The debut feature from writer-director Cord Jefferson, “American Fiction” is adapted from the 2001 novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett.

At least on the screen — “American Fiction” gets a wide release this week after debuting in certain markets earlier — the story of frustrated Black novelist Thelonious “Monk” Ellison is part satirical social comedy and part sincere family drama. Although it benefits from strong work by the dependable Jeffrey Wright as Monk and gets its fair share of laughs as it skewers a media landscape that, perhaps, wants only a certain type of story from Black creators, the film frustrates more than it offers real food for thought or tugs at the heart.

In the film’s trying-too-hard opening minutes, which prove to be a hint at tone issues to come, we are introduced to Monk as he’s teaching a college course on Southern literature. He has written a phrase on the chalkboard that contains the N-word, which greatly disturbs a white student. He tells her that if he can get over it, so can she.

His handling of the situation doesn’t impress the higher-ups at the California school, who see it as only the latest bit of concerning behavior from him. Now the once-successful Monk, who hasn’t had a book published in years, is on mandatory leave.

He visits his hometown, Boston, for a literary festival, taking part in a panel that’s poorly attended even by literary festival standards. Afterward, he walks into a larger room, where author Sintara Golden (Issa Rae) is being interviewed before a packed house about her new bestseller, “We’s Lives in Da Ghetto.” As Sintara then reads from the book’s very distinct dialogue, a disgusted Monk finds the work pandering to those wanting what he sees as stereotypical stories of Black misery.

His agent, Arthur (John Ortiz of “Bumblebee), tells him publishers want a “Black book,” and he counters that his latest rejected book is just that — because he’s Black. (In another exchange, Monk muses that he really doesn’t even see race, with Arthur reminding him the problem is that everybody else does.)

Fed up, he sits down and pens what he sees as a “Ghetto”-like novel, its dialogue, for which he has nothing but contempt, playing out in front of him via his imagination.

Much to Monk’s surprise, “My Pafology” — shopped by Arthur as the work of an anonymous fugitive — generates great interest and a massive potential deal in the publishing world. This, too, angers him, but he certainly could use the money.

That’s because once in Boston, he reconnects with his sister, Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross, “black-ish”), who makes him aware their mother, Agnes (Leslie Uggams), is showing concerning signs of decline. Soon, it becomes clear she needs more help that can be provided to her at home by Lorraine (Myra Lucretia Taylor), the family’s longtime live-in housekeeper, and, of course, moving her into a facility will come with great financial burden. Although Lisa and their brother, Cliff (Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”), are doctors, neither has much to contribute financially.

The thinly drawn Cliff — who not long ago came out as homosexual and has moved on from his marriage, now enjoying himself with casual sex and drug use when he’s not performing plastic surgery in Arizona — dips in and out of the story. He and Monk clash consistently, the narrative using Cliff to hammer home the idea that Monk is very much like their late father, for better or worse. (Given how important this seems to be to the makeup of the character, Jefferson may have considered using flashbacks to Monk and his dad instead of having Cliff and others so often express this opinion.)

More satisfying is the relationship that develops between Monk and Coraline (Erika Alexander, “Living Single”), a lawyer who lives near the family’s beach house and has an appreciation for Monk’s work. Their time together is “American Fiction” at its most authentic, if not its most relevant, but when Monk’s behavior threatens to sink the promising romance, it, too, seems a bit too much to swallow.

Ultimately, Monk’s journey with “My Pafology” is the heart of the film, and we wish it had been fleshed out further. There are a few too many cheap laughs — in general, white people, such as the book publishers and some of Monk’s contemporaries in the writing world, are just around to fall over themselves praising a book they don’t know to be his — for “American Fiction” to have the impact you’d hope. It is occasionally thought-provoking, however.

Wright (“Westworld,” “No Time to Die,” “Angels in America”) does his part, ensuring Monk is likable and relatable even when he doesn’t deserve to be. And a scene Wright shares with the likewise talented Ray (“Insecure,” “The Lovebirds”) — in which Monk and Sintara compare and contrast his book with hers — is one of the film’s strongest.

“American Fiction” is an ambitious first film from Jefferson, who has worked on the acclaimed TV series “Master of None,” “Succession” and “Watchmen,” Balancing its tones and making it all fit together seamlessly would have been tall tasks for even a much more experienced filmmaker.

The Golden Globe nominees are out. Let the awards season of Barbenheimer begin – Analysis

And, hey, even if it didn’t quite work for us, it should be noted the film received a nomination for the 2024 Golden Globes in the Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy category.

‘American Fiction’

Where: Theaters.

When: Jan. 12.

Rated: R for language throughout, some drug use, sexual references and brief violence.

Runtime: 1 hour, 57 minutes.

Stars (of four): 2.