American Fiction: Best Screenplay of the Year!

Although "Maestro," "Oppenheimer," and "Barbie" are gathering all the AA buzz for 2023, don't miss this terrific under-the-radar independent movie.  (FYI, my 2023 favorite film is still "Godzilla Minus One."  If you miss it, Godzilla might be offended, so you pass on it at your own peril!) Making his feature film debut, Writer/Director Cord Jefferson has started out with a BANG!  Based on Percival Everett's novel, "Erasure," this movie is intense and complex.  It is thought-provoking, entertaining, and involves interesting family dynamics as well as important social issues.  At times, it is also outrageously funny!  (Jeffrey Wright's performance is AAW.) Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is a college professor who has published some books.  He is well-regarded by authors, but sells only enough books to live a middle-class life.  He is frustrated about his lack of success and sometimes takes it out on his students.  Due to his loss of temper at one of the students who felt "unsafe," 'Monk' is asked to take an undetermined leave of absence (without pay). 'Monk' goes to a book festival.  A Black, female author, Sinatra Golden (Issa Rae), has written a best-seller about an inner city Black woman, which is receiving universal acclaim!  'Monk' listens to Sinatra read an excerpt, and he is unimpressed.  He is enraged by Golden's success and his lack of notoriety, and, since he now has time, he hastily cranks out what he considers a worthless piece of trash, much like his estimation of Sinatra's book, entitled "My Pafology," under the pseudonym, Stagg R. Lee.  (Stagger Lee is the tile of the great 1923 folk song sung by Billy Lyons.)  It seems that in 2020, the white literary establishment, apparently feeling guilty about overlooking Black authors, are highlighting Black authors in order to ameliorate their guilt.  Although 'Monk' expects his novel won't be accepted by any publisher, and he is even very reluctant to submit it, a publisher offers him an exorbitant advance and he even gets a lucrative movie deal.  He is suddenly rich and famous as Stagg R. Lee, but, as 'Monk,' he remains overlooked and underappreciated. 'Monk's mother, Agnes (Leslie Ugams), has Alzheimer's, so he travels to Boston to be with his sister, Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), and his gay brother, Clifford (Sterling K. Brown), a trip which flares up latent, powerful family dynamics.  Across the street, 'Monk' meets Lorraine (Myra Lucretia), with whom he starts a romantic relationship.  The successful novel issue and the interpersonal dynamics both influence each other in interesting ways. I saw the movie with Noah and Michael, and they thought it was the best picture of the year!  The soundtrack is wonderful, with many of Thelonious Monk's jazz songs.  There are a couple of scenes that are unique, which blew my mind!  If you like an intelligent and beautifully-written screenplay, with excellent acting, I'd definitely check this film out. If you don't enjoy it, just blame it on your "Pafology!"