American Fiction

Actual footage of me wondering if I can learn to be a great screenwriter just by watching this movie over and over again.

Movie: American Fiction

Running Times: 1:57 (Give it an Oscar for that!)

Nominated for: Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score

How I watched: AMC A List

When it had me: From the Trailer

When it lost me: Never

What systems does it challenge: Celebrity, "Invisible" Racism

The trailer for American Fiction looked like a laugh riot but the film was surprisingly more nuanced and deep than that. That's not to say I was disappointed, the comedy was there and just as good as I had hoped but there was also so much thoughtful musing on identity, family, stereotypes and self discovery.

In the movie, Monk is a struggling author who chooses to invent an alter ego that can pander to the masses in order to raise the money needed to help out his family.

The relationships in this film felt so authentic. A perfect mix of awkwardness and comfort, of rising to the occasion and falling short. The real life messiness of Monk's personal drama is so stable and grounding and provides the perfect launching pad for the other half of the movie with its wild plot and ridiculous characters all fawning over the latest viral moment. It was a revelation to see a movie that handled both aspects so well. I'm trying hard to think of the last time I saw this kind of mix and I'm not sure. Maybe The Big Sick.

The performances were solid across the board from an incredible ensemble cast. This should be the screenwriting award, for sure. It has moments that take you completely by surprise, it resists predictable turns and continually subverts your expectations. It treats each character as a human, both good and bad and resists scapegoating anyone as a villain. Can you tell I'm jealous? If only I could write a screenplay one tenth this good!

One of the best pictures of the year. There are a lot of nominees that I wouldn't universally recommend. Poor Things is great but definitely not everyone's cup of tea. American Fiction I would recommend to anyone.