81
Metascore
54 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 93The Daily BeastNick SchagerThe Daily BeastNick SchagerA triumphant satire about race, exploitation, family and identity that’s as rich and captivating as [Wright's] tour-de-force.
- 90New York Magazine (Vulture)Alison WillmoreNew York Magazine (Vulture)Alison WillmoreThe literary world jabs are sharp and funny, but it’s the rueful family dynamics that make the film so rewarding, as well as the performances.
- 90TheWrapSteve PondTheWrapSteve PondThere’s no real tonal conflict between the lightness of the comedy and the import of the issues it is addressing; American Fiction runs on serious conversations that are never bogged down by being treated too seriously.
- 83IndieWireJourdain SearlesIndieWireJourdain SearlesUltimately, American Fiction is an impressive debut from Jefferson, who has seamlessly made the leap from the small to big screen with a strong comedic voice and characters crafted with empathy and care. While the satire could have been sharper and more complex, the film is mostly saved by its humor.
- With American Fiction, Cord Jefferson crafts a hilarious and withering satire about an African American novelist chafing against an industry that limits Black storytelling to trauma and poverty narratives.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterLovia GyarkyeThe Hollywood ReporterLovia GyarkyeAmerican Fiction is smart and, thanks to its fine cast, has genuine heart.
- 80Screen DailyTim GriersonScreen DailyTim GriersonAmerican Fiction can be tender and also brutally funny, wise but also sometimes rushed in its attempts to tie up its many threads. The film is always alive with ideas and filled with compassion for its complicated characters, however. Like a good novel, it’s very hard to put down.
- 80Vanity FairRichard LawsonVanity FairRichard LawsonAmerican Fiction, a sharp and clever film, could be all the more so if it felt better connected to the present tense. As is, the reflection is a bit warped; contemporary subtleties are missing.
- 80VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeThe helmer trusts his audience to bring themselves to the material. Ultimately, that’s what makes reading “American Fiction” so rewarding.
- 75The Film StageJordan RaupThe Film StageJordan RaupFor all its anger at the ways Black experience has been flattened, reduced, and commodified, American Fiction has a fleet-footed touch, distilling complicated systemic issues of race to a comedy that invites both a laugh and conversation.