Posted on 10/29/2023 4:24:58 PM PDT by sphinx
American Fiction stars Jeffrey Wright as Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, an English professor and struggling novelist. Monk prides himself on writing novels that challenge the reader and has become deeply bothered by how the industry repeatedly continues to sell, push, and cash in on clichéd and offensive black narratives. One evening, as a joke, Monk decides to write a book that plays up all of the black narratives and stereotypes he despises. So, under the pen name Stagg R. Lee, Monk sends the book to his agent. To Monk’s surprise, the agent loves it, and the book quickly becomes something everyone in town wants to buy.
I have always been a big fan of satire, but good satire is hard to find nowadays. American Fiction is a sharply-written and whip-smart satire that isn’t afraid of poking fun at Hollywood and the entire media industry for trying to cash in things like slavery and police brutality while continuing to keep negative stereotypes alive....
(Excerpt) Read more at weliveentertainment.com ...
American Fiction official trailer
American Fiction is a movie you WILL want to see. It is funny, one of the best satires I've seen in a long time. The target -- which EVERY review I've seen so far fails to understand, which is part of the burden of my remarks here -- is woke white liberalism and the smug, condescending, racist stereotypes embedded in it. And it is hilarious. The trailer doesn't show the opening scene, but Prof. Thelonious "Monk" Ellison's story begins when he lands on academic probation for having gotten on the sane side of the N-word wars. He is teaching a class on Southern American literature, and a fragile white woke girl with multi-colored hair objects to some of the readings. When the black professor tells his mostly white students to grow up -- "I got over it; I think you can too" -- he is of course guilty of wrongthink. Things escalate from there.
Monk reminded me of John McWhorter, if you can imagine John McWhorter in a comic role. Or maybe a young Thomas Sowell or Walter Williams.
This was probably not intended as a "conservative movie" -- but remember that every white person depicted in the film, in the real world, would be a leftie. You and I know this. Conservatives will grasp the point instinctively. This movie -- whatever the intentions of the filmmakers themselves -- is not a critique of "white America." It is a critique of LeftWorld America.
Conservatives are different. Again, you and I know this. Ain't sayin' we're perfect, but we're different. The film would have benefitted from at least one grounded, mainstream conservative in a supporting role just to illustrate the point, but that might have been beyond experience and imaginative range of the director and writers, both of the source novel and the film.
Why do the reviewers (so far) misunderstand this? That is easy. Most of the professional movie reviewers are card-carrying members of the smug white liberal crowd. They write as if they've never met a real conservative. Perhaps they haven't; they move in circles in which a few conservatives may be hiding undercover, but the lefties are mostly so deep in their echo chamber that they confuse their own prejudices with reality.
And it's quite possible that the film's writer and director do the same. But they swing away with devastating effect nonetheless, and the critique of the reigning liberal mindset in academia and the publishing and movie industries is devastating. Sooner or later, a conservative reviewer -- there are a few, or at least a few who are capable of filling the lane from time to time -- will take this on and do it justice.
In the meantime, feel free to get ahead of the pack and enjoy life in the fast lane. If you do read reviews, just remember that most of the reviewers are in the same clown car that the film is criticizing.
P.S. Also be aware that American Fiction is a lot more than just a critique of wokeism. That's an important throughline, but the film is rebelling against stereotypes, with liberal stereotyping on race being the main target at hand. Thelonious Ellison ("Monk") is a serious man who has complete contempt for the idea that he is supposed to toe a party line and play a woke Stepin Fetchit -- but then liberal publishers and producers keep throwing money at him to dance. And he could use the money, for very responsible, serious, grownup, character/family drama reasons that have nothing to do with being black.
American Fiction premiered at TIFF and is now working its way through festivals. There will be a limited theatrical release on December 15 with an expansion on December 22. I suppose the scope and length of the theatrical run will depend on ticket sales. If you want to cast a vote against woke Hollywood, go see this one in the theaters if you get a chance. I saw it last weekend at the Middleburg Film Festival, which is a local event for us. The audience loved it. So did I. So will you. A filmed introduction from the writer said that it might be streaming sometime in January. In a better world, this would be a Sound of Freedom level audience hit, enough so that the theatrical run is extended and streaming is delayed.
Good movie sighting. Pinging the movie ping list.
This is one to see. In theaters, if you are still ready to get out from time to time.
May actually go see that.
One evening, as a joke, Monk decides to write a book that plays up all of the black narratives and stereotypes he despises. So, under the pen name Stagg R. Lee, Monk sends the book to his agent. To Monk’s surprise, the agent loves it, and the book quickly becomes something everyone in town wants to buy.Reminds me of The Producers which is very funny... Springtime for Hitler and Germany...
Excellent point. The Left has become extremely adept at lying to themselves.
I just watched the trailer and then read the article.
I had a LOT of LOL moments during the trailer. I hope that’s not ALL of the good parts. I’m looking forward to seeing it.
If it’s half as clever & entertaining as “the producers”, it would be worth seeing.
Looks like a great film!
Usual suspect publications praising it.
That’s right Baby, when you got it Baby... flaunt it Baby, flaunt it!
Pretty much everyone is praising it. My contention is that the suspect publications don’t understand it. And my hope is that at least some of the usual suspects may have their horizons expanded a bit. From my perspective, the film is subversive, in a good way.
Whatever. Jeffrey Wright hates us and everything we stand for. If you pay money to see this movie, then you are subsidizing the Holyweird communist/marxist wackos who want you, me, and all conservatives dead.
The trailer looks great!
Anybody remember Putney Swope? Not the same exactly, but a funny movie.
I remember it. Directed by Robert Downey Sr.
It looks like it’s going to be hysterical.
“Stagg R. Lee” indeed!
Sounds great!
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