This was a great film! That's all I should say and make you watch this on Amazon but people need more evidence so I will talk some about this. Thelonious “Monk” Ellison is a smart ass writer of books but rubs people the wrong way constantly. In his class one of his students is uncomfortable with him using the n-word in a old book and he causes her to storm out the room. I didn't disagree with him, though. I don't use the word but I remember in high school they had us reading Tom Sawyer and it was the first time I got to use that word with the hard R. I felt good because they were making us read that wack shit but bad because I hate the word. Back to the movie.
He is told by his college to take some time off. He says he is visiting his family already and it won't feel like time off. He is trying to have another one of his books, that do not sell well, picked up but no one is clamoring for it. He goes to a seminar where a writer named Sintara Golden is being praised for her new book “We Lives In Da Ghetto.” That title alone had L. and I cracking up. She reads an excerpt from the book and it sounds just as bad as the title. Monk later meets up with his sister Lisa and they have a fun but distant relationship. They also have a brother named Cliff who lives in Arizona that is not around much (going through divorce, lost money, came out late in life). Lisa says that she thinks their mother is showing signs of Alzheimer's but Monk brushes it off. Monk and Lisa have lunch together and she suddenly has a damn heart attack and dies!
Monk has to stay longer to help find a place for his mother to stay get rid of her stuff. Cliff is around but not really helping that much. Monk meets a neighbor from across the street named Coraline. She is fresh out of a relationship and jumps into something with Monk. Can't even begin to blame him. That woman has been attractive since I was in junior high. Monk gets annoyed with the success of things aimed at Black people being so trash he jokingly writes a story called “My Pafology” and sends it to his agent. His agent does not want to publish it but Monk uses the name Stagg R. Leigh. Shockingly the book gets picked up and fast tracked to be made into a movie with press and all the works.
Monk is disgusted with the success of this book. He also realizes he has to pretend to be this new writer in interviews. While talking to some publishers Monk decides to sabotage his own book saying he wants it to be known as “Fuck” now. His agent is pissed and the publishers are confused. They ended up doing it and changing the damn title. Monk is also brought in as a judge for a literary award along with Golden. The book “Fuck” is added to the list which pisses Monk off especially after the three white judges love it while Monk and Golden do not. Monk is also pissed that Coraline liked the book and pushes her away. This is something his brother Cliff says he does.
I don't wanna spoil the ending(s) of this movie but I liked the way it was all handled. The look of this movie was beautiful and shot so perfectly. I said “I have to look up the director because they have to be Black.” The acting was good. Everyone was perfect for their part and I can't picture anyone else in these roles. This is one of those movies I know I'll watch a few more times this year because I enjoyed it so much. I only wish that Monk's sister was in this longer because I really enjoyed their scenes together. And Cliff. These people seemed like genuine family.
Jeffrey Wright as Dr. Thelonious "Monk" Ellison
Tracee Ellis Ross as Dr. Lisa Ellison
Issa Rae as Sintara Golden
Sterling K. Brown as Dr. Clifford "Cliff" Ellison
John Ortiz as Arthur
Erika Alexander as Coraline
Leslie Uggams as Agnes Ellison
Click here for previous The Review.
No comments:
Post a Comment