The publishing world is in shambles right now. With stories of debut authors sabotaging their perceived competition, stats that demonstrate how, despite assurances otherwise, most debut authors remain both white and straight, and several other less-than-encouraging factors, an entire industry is now precariously hanging on. Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction, one of the year’s funniest films, adroitly satirizes the industry. Stephen King, like the rest of us, is in the midst of his December catch-up, and he’s recently taken to Twitter to recommend American Fiction as one of the year’s best.
Check out a trailer and synopsis below:
Per IMDB: A novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.
American Fiction stars an awards-worthy Jeffrey Wright. He’s the author whose stereotypical “Black” book, written out of spite, becomes a best seller, meeting with both critical and commercial success. It’s both uproariously funny and, like the best of them, urgent in its subtle takedown of publishing norms and the expectations attached to marginalized writers.
Stephen King himself is a huge fan. He praises the movie’s warmheartedness and biting satire, while highlighting Leslie Uggams as a standout.
Check out his tweet below:
While American Fiction isn’t a horror movie, King himself regularly dabbles beyond the genre. The forthcoming The Like of Chuck, headed by Mike Flanagan, will be one of the few recent King adaptations that isn’t horror. King, it seems, is in his prestige cinema era. Aren’t we all?
What do you think? Do you plan to check out American Fiction on Stephen King’s recommendation? What are some of your other favorites from this year? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
Categorized: News
