If there’s one film you’ll definitely want to see this holiday season, it’s American Fiction. Director and writer Cord Jefferson’s film follows Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a novelist and professor who finds editors and readers alike simply aren’t taking interest in his work. As his agent tells him, “editors, they want a Black book.” When Monk replies, “They have a Black book. I’m Black, and it’s my book,” his agent responds, “You know what I mean.”
So begins Monk’s journey into American pop culture. He writes a book that tries to parody and criticize Black stereotypes in mainstream culture, only to find his work an immense success.
American Fiction is an adaptation of Percival Everett’s novel Erasure, and, like the book before it, the film has already received immense praise from critics. The movie was first shown on September 8, 2023 at the Toronto International Film Festival, and filmgoers have been eager to see Jefferson’s flick ever since. Here’s how to watch American Fiction yourself.
How to watch American Fiction
For the time being, American Fiction doesn’t have a VOD or streaming release date. If you want to watch Monk’s journey play out for yourself, you’ll have to buy a ticket to see the film at a nearby theater. And depending on where you live, you might have to wait until Christmas weekend to watch Jefferson’s work.
The film has two release dates: A limited release on Friday, December 15, followed by a wide release on December 22. Viewers living in Los Angeles, Austin, and New York City can expect to see the film on December 15; the rest of the U.S. will have to wait until the following week. Even if you live in New York or L.A., your neighborhood theater might not be playing the film quite yet, so be prepared to travel across your local metropolis if you want to see American Fiction as soon as possible.
American Fiction was originally scheduled for a November release, though the film was later pushed to its current December date. Since it’s an Amazon MGM Studios release, like the recent Saltburn, you’ll probably be able to watch American Fiction on Amazon Prime Video sooner rather than later.
(featured image: Amazon MGM Studios)
