Erika Alexander

American Refugee

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Winter patrols with a rifle

The IMDb plot resumé for American Refugee says it’s a film about race in America. There is a black family and a white family in it, and they come into conflict, that’s true. Race, however, is not mentioned once. In fact class and cultural politics, plus masculinity – toxic and otherwise – seem to be more of a concern for its writers, Allison and Nicolas Buckmelter. Maybe, being a white couple, the Buckmelters thought it best to stay away from overt references to race. Maybe, this being America in the 21st century, it doesn’t even need to be said. Here’s the situation. Things are bad out there in the USA. The stock market is … Read more

American Fiction

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"Monk" Ellison standing out in the street

Can you be black in America and not live in the hood? What would the Great American Novel look like if it turned on the life and thoughts of a black man, rather than some old white dude like Philip Roth or Saul Bellow? American Fiction tackles those questions and a few more, in the process handing a great role to Jeffrey Wright, already one of the greats, but bolstered here by a fantastic cast who lift him to greater heights. Wright plays American college professor Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, whose career is put on hold after his latest burst of “inappropriate” behaviour with one of his snowflake students. This throws him back on … Read more