Rarely is a debut film so exceptionally biting in its attempt to drive home a point, but Court Jefferson’s American Fiction is that pleasant surprise. As a white male film critic, even though my main purpose is to come at this perspective as a blind film critic, i always look at certain films and wonder if what i have to say is valid, or even what criticisms I could offer. Honestly, I have none.

So, this time, I have nothing to worry about. My only criticism at all is just in how the film is received, as I wasn’t quite as taken with Sterling K Brown’s supporting character enough to say he deserves an Oscar nomination, or that he was one of the five best supporting turns of the year. Brown is a terrific actor, who has no problem hearing accolades, and would eventually have gotten an Oscar nomination. But the truth is, Jeffrey Wright is so exceptional, and so centered in this film, he does take up most of the oxygen.

It’s not that actors like Brown, Erika Alexander, Tracee Ellis Ross, or anyone else aren’t offering their very best, it’s just that for once, Jeffrey Wright is at dead center. I can’t remember the last time this was true for him as an actor, as he is so typically in supporting turns. Perhaps Westworld counts on some level, but that is such an ensemble show. So, I’d much rather just talk about how the acclaim has finally aligned for Jeffrey Wright, in what might be a tailor made career best. That’s a tall order for an actor of his caliber, but much of what made The Holdovers works is that Giamatti feels like he’s in a role that no one else could have played. The same can be said here. I could think of a dozen more widely acclaimed black actors, and they would all have missed this boat.

This is not a Denzel Washington film, or a Chris Rock film, or an Eddie Murphy film. This takes what Wright has come to accept in his roles, which are typically well educated thoughtful individuals much smarter than us, and blends it with a sense of sarcasm and irony that passes for blatant contempt of everything around him. Wright, who was equally stunning in Rustin this year, is firing on more cylinders than he even has.

Jefferson’s script is pointed, taking jabs at content made by black artists that continue to push the narrative that black people are poor, uneducated, living in poverty, doing and selling drugs, committing crimes, being absentee fathers, getting pregnant, and a dozen other perpetuated stereotypes. He admonishes white America for relishing in this travesty as artistic merit, while holding his own accountable for their participation.

But, as Wright’s character starts to push the boundaries himself, even he can’t ignore the life it gives him, and the ability to pay for home healthcare for his mother. It’s that damning concept that as the kind of writer he wants to be, his art will continue to be unrecognized, but if he leans into the perception of blackness, he is able to pay his own bills. And suddenly, what started out as a fleeting joke, or a lark, suddenly puts him at the center of a moral dilemma as he becomes the very thing he hates.

Without any reservation, I say I was instantly captured by American Fiction, and I do believe that it should be considered for the top prize. it is a wickedly smart debut that takes a long overdue actor, and uses him expertly. Jefferson and Wright need to team up again, because it’s possible they are each others muses.

American Fiction is currently playing in theatres everywhere with audio description.

Final Grade: A