American Fiction

A fun and interesting film, that tackles somewhat more challenging concepts, but does so in a way that's a little too traditional for me. Regardless, I consider it a good sign that a film like this can be made now, one that moves beyond the type of entertainment that's criticized here.

Ellison is a lauded writer, but he struggles with getting his latest book published. He's black, but he doesn't necessarily want to be typified as such, and he detests the pandering of some of his fellow writers. Meanwhile, he has to deal with some family issues, which put more pressure on his back.

The film is pretty witty and the performances are strong. The presentation is also quite polished, but the second half feels a tad too safe, despite some smart points being raised. Just as the meta ending wasn't entirely satisfying. Still, a fine film that did a lot of things right. I'm hoping Jefferson sticks to directing from now on.