***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD***
*Note: This review focuses solely on the movie, not the book. I have not read the book, although it’s on my TBR List.
I could finally view this movie when it became part of Prime, via Paramount+. I will say first off that the performers and music were spot on. Having said that well, I didn’t enjoy the movie as much as I had hoped. First, it’s reminiscent of other movies and stories. Frustrated author who isn’t selling, doing something outrageous or unethical to boost sales and their reputation. There are true-to-life instances where this has been done and fame and fortune are not the results. And if it comes to that, as soon as we find out who the culprit is, we make them face the consequences of their actions.
We start with author Thelonious ‘Monk’ Ellison portrayed brilliantly by actor Jeffrey Wright. Tracy Ellis Ross has a small part as his sister and Sterling K. Brown as his homosexual ne’er-do-well brother, Cliff. Leslie Uggams is their mother, and she is under-used in this. If you have Leslie Uggams on your roster, you better damn well use such a phenomenal actress to her fullest ability.
Monk sees the most recent popular Afro-centric book titled, We’s Lives in Da Ghetto by Sintara Golden (Issa Rae). Which I am assuming is supposed to be reminiscent of The Hate You Give.
Monk, of course, is furious such trash is making so much money and his highbrow intellectual books are being snubbed. I will say one thing to that… WELCOME TO THE SUBJECTIVE WORLD OF PUBLISHING. Monk visits a local bookstore where he finds his books are under African-American Studies. He takes exception to this and bullies the young employee, Ned, like that is his fault. It’s not made certain where Monk expects it to be, except he claims, “They’re just literature.” Ned feels embarrassed and clarifies that placing the books is beyond their control as employees. Which, for the record, is true.
The clerk tells Monk, with a pleading tone, that they’re just going to put his books back after he leaves. But Monk is on a mission until he sees his rival book, which stops him cold. With current family issues and an unexpected death, only causes his bitterness and jealousy to hit him at full force. He is at odds with his brother and with their mother’s health deteriorating, money becomes a major issue.
As tension mounts, Monk comes up with a plan. However, said plan causes him to shut out the people who care about him, like the new love in his life, Coraline, played by Erica Alexander. He writes a new book, My Pafology, under the pseudonym Stagg R. Leigh. The work is full of the stereotypical tropes of black life in the hood. He writes it in his words as a joke. I think the way they had the characters play out their roles in real life as Monk is writing is brilliant.
Then comes the day that his agent Arthur (John Ortiz) calls and — presto! It’s receiving offers, including a preempt for $750,000. At first Monk refuses to accept, but eventually and against his better judgement, or perhaps because of his hurt ego, he goes along with it.
This is where the movie loses steam for me. I can’t begin to calculate the odds of this happening in real life. It does happen occasionally, but an offer of this magnitude is extremely rare. It reinforces the notion that all authors become wealthy and can live a life of leisure. We do not. That all you need to do is write a book and viola — you’re rich.
Almost immediately after, a producer offers him an astronomical movie deal. Monk’s frustration grows as he deals with all the pandering idiots and the issues plaguing his loved ones. Not to mention being asked to take part in a panel to decide the literary awards, where Sintara Golden also has a place. Sintara is not fond of Monk’s book, which he had renamed F*ck, hoping to dissuade the producers. It works in exact opposite. They have a conversation where Monk challenges the similarities with the two books. Monk is even more incensed when Sintara states she writes what the public wants. She sees nothing wrong with the fact that it’s the white public. Monk says he is tired of black people being portrayed that way. I have to say I agree with his opinion. While books like that aren’t necessarily bad, being an African-American author encompasses more.
F*ck ends up being the winner of the literary award. The ending is also a brilliant execution. I won’t spoil it, but Monk remains dissatisfied, but comes to accept the outcome.
I suppose I would have liked this better if Monk had to fight harder to achieve his goals. And perhaps set aside that myth of writers all being wealthy with little work. Not to mention the prevailing stereotype that all authors are self-absorbed, pretentious jerks. Most of us are decent people. There is another movie, Author’s Anonymous, about a book club where one member has the same success. However, it is an exaggerated parody that I can enjoy as a mindless popcorn movie. This was supposed to be a serious exploration of being a black writer and what we go through.
I would recommend watching, just as something to have on while you’re writing if you’re inclined to do so. It has some wonderfully acted scenes and side stories. Or the soundtrack which is below:
Peace,
Wendy
Author WA Simpson 