I think by now we're all very much used to the political fire that has been burning for the last decade. The ways in which things such as identity and representation have been made talking points rather than actually utilised to improve things for all. There's a fight that has been going on between sides as a result of this, and it's no surprise given how much the media actually profits from the controversy rather than actually moving in the pursuit of something more, as they would claim should be, inclusive. The war of modern politics doesn't want things to actually improve, naturally. And the way things have been going has only made things more and more tense. There's no doubt that there's a stronger anxiety in people these days, almost the idea that one must pick sides, that everyone is ready to get angry about something. The world of entertainment media is at the forefront of it all: music, literature, and film. Coincidentally these are the most profitable areas for controversy to arise. Hollywood itself has increased in its insanity, doubling-down almost. It does this because it's free marketing. Something it loves in this age of social media, where the public can market a product with outrage, not even knowing the outreach something is being given as a result; remember that whole idea that bad press is still good press?
One look at how the Oscar award ceremony operates these days shows that Hollywood is thriving on keeping people disconnected. Even going as far as changing the rules behind what creations can be considered for an Oscar nomination. The result is endless race bait that caters again to this agenda. Where the idea of intense oppression is thrown around, where things like identity and representation turn people against each other under this idea that we, the general public, are in fact against each other, responsible for this in a way. Things like privilege get thrown around, ignoring the realisation that each person has their own problems, ambitions, and pain to deal with. A lot of modern cinema merely exacerbates these social problems. American Fiction, coincidentally nominated for multiple Oscar awards, is a satire on this entire fragility of the modern world. Shining light at its insanity, from the perspective of those who are supposedly pushed down, given a victim mentality.
It's an insanely good film. And its one that I think many people can relate to regardless of their race. Even down to the industries they work in. I know that when I was back in England, I worked on film shoots that were created by black people, emphasis on the black cast and the importance of it all. The hypocrisy was how these productions just hired an all white crew to create it all. It is a display on how so much of this is all for show. A big pat on the back for the assumption of a good job, again that idea that two sides are constantly against each other and that it's an active war to fight. But in the end, who really benefits from it all? Of course, the elites. The ones running the show. Really making the big money when these agendas print money.
American Fiction
If you have ever been a writer of some sort, you'd be fully aware of how insanely difficult it is to make any money in the industry. In an era of self-publishing, now artificial intelligence, and insane competition that keeps payment options low and applications very high, it would be sheer luck to get anything published from an actual publishing company. In American Fiction, that is the case of our black protagonist. A fortunate teacher and writer that has been stagnating for a few years, incapable of advancing and now growing tired of the fragility in the youth that he teaches. The hypocrisy of agenda pushing reaches into the classroom, leading to him ultimately getting put on leave by the school. From the start you can get the perspective of these modern day political talking points hitting just a regular person. How someone preaches those talking points directly to those who are apparently victimised in society, but don't even feel it. Again moving back to my time in the film industry in England, we talked of this often. Black actors would say how odd it feels to almost be treated like gold by productions. But they sell out, why wouldn't they take up the work that pays well?
This brings us to the next stage of American Fiction: our tired writer, now essentially unemployed, finds himself speaking to his publisher, surrounded by stereotypical books that exaggerate the black identity for profit. The idea that black people all speak in slang, have broken families, drama that involves prison time or crime to some degree. The film doesn't shy away from the reality that this does take place, and that sometimes there can be prejudice, but that the modern world isn't as dark as the media suggests. As a satire, our protagonist, while suffering from the loss of his sister and mental degradation of his mother, decides to write a similar book that exaggerates the idea of being black in America. He creates a persona, encouraged by his publisher, that promotes this perspective. Turning away from being a black man in America, to this idea of a black man in America that is from a background of crime, talks in slang, and is even wanted for murder. You can see how something like this may end up blowing up in his face.
The comedy here is in that satire, the ways in which this character now has to, well, play a character. The truth is, nobody knows what he is doing other than his publisher, and the world around him quickly falls for this act. Leading to the hypocrisy of the media as it quickly draws attention to him and his book. Nobody ever cared about his works until he decided to live the stereotype of his skin colour. And the powerful aspect of this film is how this character rejects the modern world's coddling of black people. Going as far as trying to remove his books from the category of book stores that is aimed towards black identity. Knowing that his works are not about his skin colour or background, and that they truly shouldn't be. After all, do people care about his work at all? Or is it merely agenda pushing that makes them feel the need to purchase them, the idea that they are part of something greater. A political war that makes them feel part of a side, again coddling a demographic that actually doesn't need nor want to be coddled.
By introducing the struggles he has at home, it does show that he is a regular person too. He suffers the same problems as others. Family death, the decline of health. Love, even. But these are not part of an identity. It removes the idea of race from him entirely, and it's precisely how it should be. The irony is that those around him that fall for his satirical character are of both different race. The elites of award ceremonies are mostly white that are just out of touch or pursuing a paycheck. The readers of the book are black, falling for the tricks of marketing, again cementing this idea of controversy and victimhood into their minds. Even some of the judges that read his book are black, falling for the trick and trying to push it into the public eye more. It shows that this is a complex web in which everyone is falling for something. That no matter the race, it's a problem that is deeply integrated into society. That no singular person can stop it, nor is responsible for it. The complexities of society, ultimately.
I've talked a lot about the film and its narrative, but I haven't mentioned that the film is actually beautifully written and directed. I looked up Cord Jefferson and realised he has actually written some incredibly good shows in recent years: A Good Place, Station Eleven, and even Master of None. I think his experience in the film industry is what makes the film so good, his realisation of how things really are, having worked on vastly different projects. Not being part of the insanity and working specifically on black productions. I'm looking at Jordan Peele here. A director that really profits from the race war. And this isn't to say that there are no problems in society, because it certainly is fucked up, definitely far from perfect. But things are not as simple as they seem.
At the same time, American Fiction plays out beautifully as a film. The cinematography and use of colour is really beautiful. Incredibly warm tones that show the beauty of America. The interior scenes are lit beautifully, often with a wide angle lenses that give things a bit of a wider perspective, but not too stretched. You don't really feel the two hour runtime, which really surprised me as I went in almost with some hesitation over it. The humour ran throughout, the silliness of the whole situation kept me engaged. And the directing felt gentle enough when it needed to be over the more serious matters. Jeffrey Wright's performance was absolutely what pushed the film forward, however. His speech and look are far from what's considered the stereotype of a black man, instead portraying a regular person with their own ambitions and struggles in life, void of the insanity of the modern world, but unfortunately now playing his own part in it.
Definitely check this film out. It's one of the best in years.
