This was another film I decided to watch because of it's Oscar Nominations. Thankfully this one wasn't disappointing although I don't think it is a perfect film.

The plot for this story is great and the set up is done well. Jeffrey Wright plays the character "Monk", a black author who is fed up with how blacks are represented in the entertainment industry. He decides to write a book (using a pseudonym) that encapsulates the black stereotype in an effort to show how ridiculous it is. His book becomes a success and he must figure out what to do with this success since it is all based on a lie.

Jeffrey Wright gives a great performance by managing to be both funny and serious throughout the film. His character is well rounded and is shown to have a range of emotions. The character's thoughts and feelings are expressed well throughout the entire film. Even the supporting actors contribute to our understanding of his character.

The depth of his character is what stands out in this film because of how his character is used as the epitome of everything he despises in the entertainment industry.

There were many laughs to be had in this film even though the jokes were racially motivated. The humor was well incorporated into the story and used to explain the race relations between whites and blacks.

There weren't any bad performances in this film. However, there were unnecessary characters and that's why I don't believe this film is perfect.

Tracee Ellis Ross' character as Monk's sister was a complete waste of a role. She should have been eliminated entirely from the story or given more screen time.

I didn't see the point of having the mother's caretaker or her boyfriend in the film. The film could have done without them. I understand she was introduced as the mother's caretaker and later that responsibility would fall upon Monk after their mother got sick. However, that storyline about the mother getting sick could have been written without her involvement.

I'm not sure how Sterling K. Brown is getting a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for this performance. He was barely in the film and didn't do anything spectacular to earn a nomination. His character wasn't dynamic in any way and his performance was just okay. He's another character I felt was unnecessary to tell the story this film was trying to tell. His character did help a bit in giving insight to who Monk was but that could have been done better through the mother.

The rest of the supporting roles were the most cohesive and actually did a better job in aiding the story. Keith David and Okieriete Onaodowan's cameo was done very well and it was enjoyable. I would have liked seeing more of their characters. They brought Monk's book to life and further elaborated on some of the black stereotypes.

I have read that some have been critical about the ending of this film but it's actually the best part. The ending sums up this story and its ideas of how blacks are viewed in society and entertainment. The ending is satisfying for how it uses Monk's character to show how he still fell victim to everything he was so against at the beginning.

Despite the roles of some of the characters I still felt this was a great film that deals with social commentary.