American Fiction is a satirical comedy drama film based on the novel Erasure by Percival Everett. The story follows Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison, a writer and English professor, whose career hits a roadblock due to his work not being perceived as 'Black enough'. To challenge the industry's hypocrisy, Monk writes a successful satirical novel under a pseudonym, leading him to question his own beliefs and assumptions.