It's rare to see a first time director get it all right on his first attempt. At the same time he has created something that has the potential to be discussed and debated for generations to come.

Jeffrey Wright does a great job in the role of Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison. He is a Harvard educated, California University literature professor, author of several books that no one, other than adoring academic critics, reads. Monk is placed on mandatory leave by his university for frequently arguing with his students on racial issues.

This draws him back to his family roots in Boston. That's where his writing career takes an unexpected turn. What starts as a prank protest of 'authentic' portrayal of black people in mainstream culture inadvertently transforms Monk into a caricature himself. He dumbs down every element of his otherwise intelligent story-telling technique. Which, to his dismay, is the path to the literary glory he has spent his entire life chasing. An intelligent man like Monk cannot wrap his head around the fact that black books pandering to white readers who are trying to follow the rules is the new path to success.

'The dumber I behave the richer I get', Monk complains to his agent. (This is not a spoiler - it's in the trailer.) Considering how intelligent the script is, it's ironic how a single word plays a crucial and hilarious role summing things up. You know the word, the unpublishable one that begins with an 'F'.

American Fiction stands as one of the best written, most damning satire about racial stereotypes. It's a brilliant commentary on a society that has twisted things to the point no one knows what to say and how to say it.

Filmmaker Cord Jefferson delivers the message in a smart, funny movie featuring a wonderful lead performance by Jeffrey Wright. With American Fiction, Jefferson has now established himself as a filmmaker to watch.