Ep953: AMERICAN FICTION (2023) - Movie Review

After more than a year, Armond White returns to Kicking the Seat for a look at Cord Jefferson's American Fiction!

Jeffrey Wright stars as Thelonious "Monk" Ellison, a teacher and frustrated author who writes a fake biography of a career criminal and becomes an overnight sensation. The book, meant to be a parody of the kind of Black pathology reveled in by White culture, is adopted by readers everywhere who see it as a gripping and authentic read. This horrifies the author and adds to a heap of problems, including sibling rivalry, a mother with dementia, and a tentative beach house romance.

In this spoilerific episode, Ian and Armond cut through the politics, the pandering, and the pissed-away potential of a film that could have been the next Hollywood Shuffle--opting instead to be a gutless Hollywood virtue signal. Also, stick around 'til the end to find out what movie the guys will talk about next!

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Show Links

• Watch the American Fiction trailer.

• Read Armond's review of American Fiction in The National Review.

• Also read Armond's review of Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon (mentioned in the show).

• In preparation for the guys' upcoming review of the Color Purple remake, watch their joint discussion of Steven Spielberg's 1986 original and D.W. Griffith's Orphans of the Storm.

• Order the book that inspired these regular movie chats: Armond's Make Spielberg Great Again.