American Fiction is Cord Jefferson’s hilarious directorial debut, which confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish “Black” book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.

Runtime: R • 1 hr 57 min

Praise for American Fiction

Academy Award nominations: Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role, Music (Original Score), Writing (Adapted Screenplay)