The Big Picture

• In American Fiction, Monk Ellison's novel thrusts him into the heart of racial identity hypocrisy to challenge audience norms.
• Monk receives unexpected acclaim for his writing when publishers favor his new work over his previous efforts.
• The film concludes with Monk contemplating alternate film endings, highlighting audience preferences and expectations.

During the last few months of each calendar year, film fans are treated to a plethora of exciting new releases that are widely expected to be major award-season contenders. However, one of the great things about “award season” is that contenders can come out of nowhere to become audience favorites. Last year, Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut American Fiction became an instant hit with viewers, taking home the Toronto International Film Festival’s “People’s Choice Award.” American Fiction is a sharp, biting satire of racial identity and artistic merit. It’s the type of film that is bound to get discussions going, particularly when it comes to the unusual ending.

What Is 'American Fiction' About?

Loosely based on the novel "Erasure" by Percival Everett, American Fiction follows the acclaimed writer Monk Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) during a difficult period in his career. Monk’s lectures have grown controversial at the college where he teaches, forcing him to take a leave of absence and refocus on his writing. While Monk’s previous work drew him positive responses, he finds that his most recent writing isn’t what publishers want, as the publishing world seems to be infatuated with a new novel by the up-and-coming author Sintara Golden (Issa Rae). Golden’s novel, "We Lives in Da Ghetto," is a gritty, intense depiction of urban life that features colorful language and eccentric characters. Monk instantly dismissed Golden’s work, since he feels exhausted that all stories about Black life seem to resemble Golden’s work, and not his.

Monk’s frustration with Golden and "We Lives In Da Ghetto" intensifies as he finds it more challenging to find readers for his novels, with Monk even lashing out at a local bookseller when he finds that his novel is placed in the “African-American Studies” section of the store. Monk doesn’t consider his work to be exclusive to the Black experience, and he’s tired of hearing that he’s “not Black enough.” A drunken, embittered Monk decides that instead of staying true to his voice, he will attempt to replicate the style of writing that seems to be so popular among white writers. He haphazardly conceives a new book that focuses on urban communities, drug dealers, and violence, and titles it "My Pafology." Monk has his agent, Arthur (John Ortiz), send it out as a joke.

Although Monk hopes that sending "My Pafology" out to potential publishers will be taken as a satire of books like "We Lives In Da Ghetto," he’s shocked to learn that the white publishers all seem to adore his writing. Monk has never received this level of acclaim before. "My Pafology" is now praised as an “essential” piece of writing, and heralded as “a story that needs to be told.” Donning a new identity to sell "My Pafology," Monk begins taking meetings with publishers, discussing his new work on television networks, and submitting it for awards. To test the waters and see what he can get away, Monk retitles his novel "Fuck". He even gets an offer from Wiley (Adam Brody), a major Hollywood director, about a potential film adaptation.

What Happens to Monk in 'American Fiction'?

Monk manages to keep his identity concealed, but this becomes more challenging once both he and Sinatra are selected to serve on a panel of judges that determine which novel is handed a literary trophy. Monk generally enjoys getting to judge other authors’ work (as he’s generally a fairly opinionated person), but the remaining objective becomes more challenging when "Fuck" is selected as one of the nominees. Similar to the publishers, the white judges on the panel all seem to feel that it is their moral duty to select "Fuck" as the winner. Although Monk doesn’t see a significant difference between "Fuck" and "We Lives In Da Ghetto," he’s surprised when Golden reveals that she’s not a fan of "Fuck" either.

Golden feels that "Fuck" is inauthentic and lacks clarity. It feels like someone attempting to stigmatize Black trauma, which is exactly what it is. Monk has his eyes opened, as he realizes that his anger towards Golden is misplaced. He can’t fault her for writing what she’s passionate about. Even though "We Lives In Da Ghetto" is not the sort of story that he thinks should represent all Black people, it’s not Golden’s fault that her book is popular among white readers. Monk decides to reach out to his ex-girlfriend, Coraline (Erika Alexander), who he had previously lambasted for reading "Fuck," without her knowing Monk was the writer.

Monk is keen to set the entire publishing scandal behind him, but to his surprise, "Fuck" is selected as the winner of the literary prize. Both he and Golden voted against it, but the other white judges outruled them. As "Fuck" is proclaimed the winner and Monk prepares to take the stage, the film cuts to another sequence of Monk discussing potential endings for the film adaptation of his life story with Wiley. Monk doesn’t want to have a clear ending that spells the theme out for the audience directly, so he comes up with three alternate ways for the story to conclude.

In the first ending, Monk abruptly ends the story before he takes the stage. Wiley says that the ambiguity he seeks wouldn’t make a good movie. In the second ending, a humble Monk goes out to apologize to Coraline—Wiley thinks this is too schmaltzy, as the film isn’t a standard “romantic comedy.” Monk then proposes a ridiculous third ending where he is shot to death on stage by police officers. Unsurprisingly, Wiley loves the idea, and informs Monk that the film will instantly become an award-season contender.

American Fiction closes with Monk driving off from the set of Wiley’s movie with his brother, Cliff (Sterling K. Brown). Even though Monk has now found a way to connect with a wider audience, he finds once again that white viewers are only interested in Black stories about trauma. It’s a particularly thoughtful ending that holds the audience’s feet to the fire as they consider their feelings about the film.

In talking to Collider's Perri Nemiroff, Erika Alexander said that her own interpretation of the ending is that Coraline won't be able to forgive Monk, stating:

"I don't know if she'll be able to, because if you see the movie and have seen the movie, you'll see that he is not himself. He changed. He's not the person she met, so she's not dealing with the same person, and she doesn't even know how different he is. They're having an argument about a book that he won't even admit he wrote. She doesn't know who he is anymore. And I think as a person who's discerning and would start to get to the truth because she's a lawyer, that would irritate her because she's a woman who's gone through some things, she's gone through a divorce. I think she's looking for people to at least be authentically honest about who they are, and he has not been. I think that that's a deal-breaker."

However, Jefferson leaves the ending to the audience's interpretation, whether or not Monk gets the happy ending or the more honest reality of the situation.

American Fiction is now playing on Prime Video in the U.S.

Watch on Prime