It would be hard to imagine a more convincing send-up of modern leftist attitudes on race than American Fiction. Every moment of the plot that focuses on My Pafology (or Fuck as it comes to be called) is laugh out loud funny and spot on. Cutting without being cruel and only occasionally a bit broad, this isn’t just good satire its necessary satire.
That does make for some hard tonal shifts, though, as Monks personal problems grow ever more severe. It can be difficult to reconcile the humor with the pathos. And while both might have been necessary, American Fiction may have leaned a little too hard into Monk’s problems. There are plenty of middle-class problems we’re happy to laugh around, but Alzheimer’s and untimely death aren’t really among them. More than worth a watch, just be prepared for the emotional whiplash. (Amazon)