American Fiction - spoilers

[MinnieTruck]

Has anyone seen this yet and what were your thoughts? I thought it was absolutely amazing. So funny and so real. I think it was interesting to see the concept behind Monk’s personal life and the life he was portraying as the fake writer.

I loved the act where all 5 judges were in the room analysing ‘FUCK,’ and the woman goes, ‘I just think it’s really important to listen to black voices’ whilst ignoring the two black authors and their opinion😂 absolutely great film. Funny AND original. I’ll most likely watch it again

[MinnieTruck]

I’m guessing no one’s seen it then?😂

[MsAmerica]

I loved it - it's the best thing I've seen from the past year so far.

I'll add that it's by a new-ish screenwriter/director, which is sometimes a danger sign, but he's terrific: Cord Jefferson. It's a fun premise, and could have easily have been done as a conventional hilarious farce. This, however, is far subtler and more complex. In fact, that core part of the plot doesn't even emerge until well into the movie. The whole first chunk of the movie is setting the scene, especially within his family - and it's a rarity as a successful upper-middle-class black family with the ordinary problems of any family -an aging mother, sibling tensions, family finances.

Ultimately, maybe it's sort of a dichotomy, that it's a "black" movie about black characters and the way they're perceived, but also about black characters that are no different from white characters. The latter is the really unusual part. Wonderful, intelligent writing, a deft combination of comedy and grief, with an amusing mockery of publishing, upending all the usual conventions of portrayals of black characters.

[Maggiethecat]

I thought it was fabulous too and the family story was so well acted. The portrayals are not the kind we’re used to seeing of black people on screen although the themes are universal.
Will watch this one again!

[lilyfire]

Yes I really enjoyed it. It’s based on a book by Percival Everett. I haven’t read it but have read two of his others and liked them a lot.

[vocalfryspeppermintcream]

A fantastic film, lots to think about and funny too.

[MinnieTruck]

It was a great watch wasn’t it?😆 I can’t wait for it to be on streaming sites as I really enjoyed it!

[MurielThrockmorton]

I loved it, and I'll watch it again as well when it's streamed. I didn't expect it to be so funny. I particularly enjoyed Sinatra's summary of her education and career and then her reading from the book, and all of Jeffrey Wright's expressions! Definitely my favourite film I've seen for a while, it managed to provide a commentary on the ridiculousness of a lot of things but in a gentle and amusing way.

[MurielThrockmorton]

*Sintara even!

[MassageForLife]

I saw it at the end of January, and got to see a Q&A with the director and two actors afterwards. Loved it. The two scenes that have been mentioned already were two of my favourites as well, as well as the renaming of the book. Poor Monk, getting carried along in a deceit which was in a way his own fault - but not at all the goal.

Will definitely be watching this one again.

[Sausagenbacon]

I've just watched it on Prime. A lovely film. I really enjoyed Cliff.

[Maggiethecat]

At first I didn’t like Cliff, thought him crass and selfish but by the end I loved him.

[Sausagenbacon]

Yes, he was really well drawn

[Rocknrollstar]

We loved it. DH enjoyed it and stayed awake and had no criticism so it counts as a good film in our house. I’ve been recommending it to everyone

[Sturmundcalm]

we loved it - even if i did get paranoid about all the references to "at least she's not white" in terms of their wives/girlfriends 😅

[LunaNorth]

Just watched this and LOVED it!

Any other This Is Us fans entertained by Randall being so naughty? 😁

[Willmafrockfit]

also loved this, Really great film
and a recent This is us fan so very happy to see Randall/Cliff

[MinnieTruck]

@Sausagenbacon

I've just watched it on Prime. A lovely film. I really enjoyed Cliff.

I didn’t realise it’s on Prime already! Great news

[Maggiethecat]

@LunaNorth

Just watched this and LOVED it!

Any other This Is Us fans entertained by Randall being so naughty? 😁

If ever there was a 180 degree character turn!

[MsAmerica]

@Maggiethecat

I thought it was fabulous too and the family story was so well acted. The portrayals are not the kind we’re used to seeing of black people on screen although the themes are universal.
Will watch this one again!

Exactly, @Maggiethecat, that was what made it remarkable, portraying a black family where the daily concerns - finance, an ailing parent, sibling tensions - are exactly the same as a white family. I can't think of any other movie that does that to such an extent!

[viques]

So glad I spotted this thread. I managed to miss it in the cinema so was pleased it is now streaming (plus bonus of subtitles). I thought it was amazing, loved the way expectations and stereotypes were so smartly reversed, thought the acting was fantastic and the script was gut aching funny, thought provoking and wincingly uncomfortable, quite a feat!

[EmmaOvary]

Agree, such a great film and so deftly written, nothing heavy handed about it. Loved the pacing and the cuts between scenes, showing us all we needed to see but no more.

[April25istheperfectdate]

Very enjoyable - free on Prime Video now (just got a free trial to watch it).
Such a shame it was Oppenheimer's year. I'd have loved Jeffrey to have been awarded best actor - it was such a nuanced, layered performance.

Plot-wise it didn't go where I thought it would. I was expecting his lawyer girlfriend to have to defend him against claims of fraud later in the film/a big literary scandal furore like J T Leroy/James Frey (I only knew that the original novel was called Erasure. I assumed that Thelonious got cancelled for being felonious).

[MsAmerica]

I just saw the original novelist Percival Everett interviewed - he has a new novel that's the retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of the slave, Jim.

[Maggiethecat]

I’m reading Erasure at the moment and enjoying it and noticing how the film script departed from the novel.

Will look out for the new book James.

[MsAmerica]

@Maggiethecat

I’m reading Erasure at the moment and enjoying it and noticing how the film script departed from the novel.

Will look out for the new book James.

For some odd reason, my tremendous admiration for the movie isn't leading me to read the original book.

And, even more weirdly, I never read the "alternative" versions or late sequels by other author (like for GWTW), but I'm curious to read this new book. Maybe because I never liked Huckleberry Finn and somehow imagine this would be more to my taste.