Movie #3203 ........................."American Fiction" (theatre)

 Movie #3203 "American Fiction" (theatre)  There are lots of very mediocre films out this year, in my opinion, but this is NOT one of them, and it deserves to be honored by the academy in some way.  It would be nice if it were for the very hardworking Jeffrey Wright, but looking at the competition, I'm not sure he has a chance --- in fact, he is probably on this list because they snubbed Leonardo DiCaprio.  But I am thinking the script might have a chance because the dialogue is funny, smart, and makes you think.  It tackles black and white issues, but it comes at you in a bunch of different ways, and uses an antihero, a grumpy professor (much like Holdovers) in the lead. Then, the film is full of quirky secondary characters like his new girlfriend, his brother, and a panel of judges for contemporary books.  The film starts with a powerful opening, and I just wish the ending was tweaked a bit more.  I can't really be specific without giving away too much about the film, but I guess I can say, I think there should have been one more ending tacked on (not at the very end, but in between the ones offered) that addressed very clearly his reasons.  And that's just because one of the biggest problems on the issues that are addressed in the film is that they aren't usually clearly addressed in our lives.  Well, that's a big point made here and that is that education is lacking on these issues, and if we better understood each other, we wouldn't treat each other the way we do.  Well, that being said, I feel we needed to be educated more here..... and I feel instead, the film depended on a "roll of the eyes,"  approach, addressing those who are in the know already, with a smarmy disdain --- still, the film has so much more to say, and I'd give it 4.5.  

"AMERICAN FICTION"     2023       R     1 hr and 57 mins

A novelist who's fed up with the establishment profiting from "Black" entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him into the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.  

Director:  Cord Jefferson

Writers:  Cord Jefferson, Percival Everett

Actors:  Jeffrey Wright, Erika Alexander,Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown