Thelonious “Monk” Ellison has had enough of trite, empty stories about the Black experience. The character, played by Jeffrey Wright, is at the center of the satirical dramedy American Fiction, which won the top prize at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
Based on the Percival Everett novel Erasure, the movie — written and directed by Cord Jefferson (The Good Place, Watchmen) — follows Monk, a professor and author, who struggles to write his next book. Publishers want a “Black story” from him, but he’s not interested, frustrated by the offensive stereotypes being perpetuated in pop culture.
To prove his point, he decides to use a pen name to write a story about one man’s experience — but his plan backfires, his book gets published, and readers are clamoring to know more about the author of the book.
American Fiction also stars Tracee Ellis Ross and Sterling K. Brown as Monk’s siblings, Leslie Uggams as their mom, Issa Rae as a fellow author, Erika Alexander as Monk’s love interest, John Ortiz as his literary agent, and Adam Brody as a movie producer.
The movie opens Dec. 15 in limited release and expands on Dec. 22. Watch the new trailer below.
