American Fiction

As a writer, I always have a soft spot for stories about writers. Writing is hard - and I don't mean to be a whiny bitch about it but it is. To put your full heart and soul into making something which you believe to be great and have it receive little or no attention, well that can be tough. I'm white as Canadian snow. There is no such thing as an authentic white voice - at least not that I'm aware of. There is language used in literary circles of "authentic" black voices - this is problematic for  Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) who is the lead protagonist in "American Fiction." Monk, who has a doctorate in English Lit, wants to be just a writer, not a black writer, but recognized as a great writer for the writing alone. His latest novel is languishing with his literary agent; multiple publishing houses have passed on his new manuscript. Monk, with an ailing mother, medical bills piling up, gets drunk and turns out joke manuscript, his version of an "authentic" black novel. He gives it to his agent and it is immediately picked up and hailed as a masterpiece. Writer, director, Cord Jefferson has created a wickedly smart and touching film. It's "Tootsie" meets "Sideways," the Spike Lee version. I loved it and it's one of the year's brightest, funniest, and moving movies of the year. Catch this in theatres or on streaming when available. Or grab a copy from your local video store. In Ottawa that would be Movies 'N' Stuff.