What is American Fiction about? Plot, review, award, and more explored

The 2023 American comedy-drama movie American Fiction arrived in theaters in December 2023 amid a great reception from critics and viewers. The movie is an adaptation of Erasure, a 2001 novel by Percival Everett. The movie garnered acclaim with nominations for all major awards. The American Film Institute placed it among the top ten films of 2023.

Actor Jeffrey Wright, playing the lead character of Professor Thelonious Ellison, was widely appreciated for his performance. With the plot revolving around the novelist-professor whose stereotypical black book gets unexpected praise after publication, the premise has satire.

American Fiction had a limited release by Amazon MGM Studios on December 15, 2023, following its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2023. However, it was granted an expansion on December 22, 2023. Also, the movie will have a theatrical release in Europe on February 2 and a digital release on February 6, 2024.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the movie.

What is the plot of American Fiction?

The story of American Fiction follows its protagonist, Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a professor-cum-novelist who lives and writes in Los Angeles. As such, Ellison’s books receive praise but don’t sell enough, resulting in publishers either rejecting his works or advising him to write “black” content.

On temporary leave from his university, Monk attends a literary seminar with a low turnout at his panel against a high turnout at a fellow writer, Sintara Golden’s panel, who is known to write stereotypical black content.

In his hometown of Boston, Monk meets his doctor brother Cliff, who came to attend the funeral of their sister Lisa, a smoker who died suddenly while sharing a drink with Monk. On one hand, he meets and dates Coraline, a lawyer, on the other, he has to care for his mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Out of frustration and spite, Monk writes a novel titled "My Pafology," which has a melodramatic plot with foul language, drugs, gang violence, and deadbeat dads.

While the publishers accept his manuscript, his agent advises him to camouflage the writer’s identity as that of former convict Stagg R. Leigh. Moreover, his publishers offer him a $750,00 advance, and producer Wiley offers Stagg (Monk) a movie deal.

When Monk maliciously demands the name of his book be changed to "F**K," the publishers agree, and the book becomes a bestseller. At the New England Book Association’s Literary Award, Monk is invited to co-judge with Sintara, who shares many of Monk’s views, to his surprise.

Both Monk’s newly released bestseller and Sintara’s novels are part of the literary award, where Monk is forced to judge his work, although by the name of Stagg. As Sintara and Monk argue over the books, Sintara gives him serious insights into her own work.

On the other hand, Monk meets Cliff again at housekeeper Lorraine’s wedding, where Cliff inspires Monk to let others “love all of him." In a turn of events, Stagg’s book "F**K" is chosen as the winner of the literary award, and Monk goes on stage with the screen blacked out.

In the next scene, Monk is seen discussing the ending for the movie adaptation of his book with Wiley, where he comes up with three alternatives.

While Wiley rejects a screen-blackout ambiguous end and a romantic, coming-clean ending, he votes for Monk’s third alternative, where the police would shoot Monk on stage. Wiley assures Monk that the third ending for the movie will push it to become an award-contender.

Being aware of the realization that white readers and audiences are only interested in black stories about trauma, Monk drives off from the movie set with his brother, Cliff. The finale of the movie is open-ended and expected to be thought-provoking.

The main cast and crew of American Fiction

The supporting cast has done a good job in providing the angle to the plot (Image via MGM)

As mentioned before, Jeffrey Wright plays the lead as Monk. He is supported by Issa Rae as Sintara Golden, Erika Alexander as Coraline, Tracee Ellis Ross as Lisa Ellison, Sterling K. Brown as Cliff Ellison, and Adam Brody as Wiley.

Leslie Uggams of Deadpool 3 fame played Monk’s mother, Agnes, and John Ortiz played his agent, Arthur. Cord Jefferson is the playwright and director of American Fiction, while the music is by Laura Karpman. Cord Jefferson is also the co-producer for the movie, along with Ben Leclair, Nikos Karamigios, and Jermaine Johnson.

Nominations and awards for American Fiction

At its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, American Fiction won the People’s Choice Award, followed by Best Gala Film at the San Diego International Film Festival and the Audience Award for Narrative Film at the October 2023 Middleburg Film Festival. The following are some of the awards won by the movie:

Concluding thoughts on American Fiction

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Despite being a directorial debut for Jefferson, American Fiction has made a good impression on both critics and the audience. While filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood called the movie “bold, chaotic, unflinching, and personal," Lovia Gyarke of The Hollywood Reporter expressed that the movie had a genuine heart.

While the movie is running in select theaters in the US, it is awaiting its release in the theaters of the UK and Ireland in February 2024. Watch out for the digital release of Amazon MGM Studios' American Fiction on February 6, 2024.

Edited by Dev Sharma