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'''''The American Society of Magical Negroes''''' is a 2024 American comedy film starring [[Justice Smith]] as a young man who joins a clandestine group of magical African Americans committed to enhancing the lives of white individuals, satirizing the [[Magical Negro]] trope. The film is written and directed by [[Kobi Libii]] in his directorial debut. It also stars [[David Alan Grier]] and An-Li Bogan. |
'''''The American Society of Magical Negroes''''' is a 2024 American comedy film starring [[Justice Smith]] as a young man who joins a clandestine group of magical African Americans committed to enhancing the lives of white individuals, satirizing the [[Magical Negro]] trope. The film is written and directed by the racist [[Kobi Libii]] in his directorial debut. It also stars [[David Alan Grier]] and An-Li Bogan. |
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The film premiered at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] on January 19, 2024. [[Focus Features]] released the film in theaters in the United States on March 15, 2024. The film received predominantly mixed reviews from critics,<ref name="mc" /> who noted that while it presents an intriguing concept, it ultimately fell short of thoroughly exploring its most challenging notions.<ref name="rt" /> |
The film premiered at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] on January 19, 2024. [[Focus Features]] released the film in theaters in the United States on March 15, 2024. The film received predominantly mixed reviews from critics,<ref name="mc" /> who noted that while it presents an intriguing concept, it ultimately fell short of thoroughly exploring its most challenging notions.<ref name="rt" /> |
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Revision as of 22:04, 20 March 2024
| The American Society of Magical Negroes | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Kobi Libii |
| Written by | Kobi Libii |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Doug Emmett |
| Edited by | Brian Olds |
| Music by | Michael Abels |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 105 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1.4 million[2] |
The American Society of Magical Negroes is a 2024 American comedy film starring Justice Smith as a young man who joins a clandestine group of magical African Americans committed to enhancing the lives of white individuals, satirizing the Magical Negro trope. The film is written and directed by the racist Kobi Libii in his directorial debut. It also stars David Alan Grier and An-Li Bogan.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2024. Focus Features released the film in theaters in the United States on March 15, 2024. The film received predominantly mixed reviews from critics,[3] who noted that while it presents an intriguing concept, it ultimately fell short of thoroughly exploring its most challenging notions.[4]
Plot
A young African-American man, Aren, displays his yarn sculpture at an art gallery, facing rejection; no one buys his work. Advised by the white gallery owner to approach a specific patron, Aren is mistaken for a waiter and handed an empty glass. At the bar, African-American bartender Roger empathizes with Aren's experience.
Discouraged, Aren discards his sculpture and heads home. On the way, he encounters a drunk white woman struggling with an ATM. Attempting to assist, he's falsely accused of theft, leading to a physical assault by two white men. Roger intervenes, returning the woman's purse and defusing the situation with a restaurant recommendation.
Roger introduces Aren to The American Society of Magical Negroes, a group aiming to safeguard African Americans by appeasing white individuals. Aren witnesses historical acts of reassurance by Black men towards whites, embodying the Society's mission. Under Roger's mentorship, Aren helps a shy white officer gain confidence at a dance club.
A chance encounter with Lizzie, a woman of color, at a coffee shop leads Aren to develop feelings for her, even as he's called away for Society duties. Assigned to assist depressed white colleague Jason at Meetbox, where Lizzie also works, Aren's personal and professional lives intertwine.
Amidst a developing relationship with Lizzie, Aren learns of Meetbox's racial recognition flaws. The company's superficial response highlights systemic issues. Despite his feelings, Roger urges Aren to focus on boosting Jason's career and love life, sacrificing his own happiness.
A pivotal moment arises during a global presentation by Meetbox. Aren, fed up, publicly challenges the facade of diversity and asserts his belonging in society. His defiance shocks his colleagues and disrupts the Society's magic, leading to his expulsion.
Despite Roger's attempt to erase his memories, the magic weakens, signaling a broader rebellion within the Society against their subservient roles.
Reuniting with Lizzie in Los Angeles, Aren discovers her affiliation with "SOSWAG," a parallel support network, hinting at a shared understanding and commitment to change.
Cast
- Justice Smith as Aren
- David Alan Grier as Roger
- An-Li Bogan as Lizzie
- Drew Tarver as Jason
- Michaela Watkins as Masterson
- Aisha Hinds as Gabbard
- Tim Baltz as Officer Miller
- Rupert Friend as Mick
- Nicole Byer as DeDe
Production
The American Society of Magical Negroes was developed by Kobi Libii as part of the Sundance's Screenwriters and Directors Lab.[5] In March 2021, SFFILM confirmed that the film was awarded the 2021 Dolby Institute Fellowships, earning industry guidance and a cash grant enabling them to work with a sound designer at the screenwriting stage.[6] The film is a satire of the Magical Negro trope.[7][6]
Release
The American Society of Magical Negroes premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2024.[8][9] Focus Features released it in theaters in the United States on March 15, 2024.[7] Universal Pictures will release the film in theaters in other territories, starting with the United Kingdom on April 26, 2024.[1]
Box office
In the United States and Canada, The American Society of Magical Negroes was released alongside Arthur the King and the wide expansion of Love Lies Bleeding, and was projected to gross around $3 million from 1,146 theaters in its opening weekend.[10] The film made $520,000 on its first day and went on to debut to $1.3 million, finishing ninth at the box office.[11] The demographic breakdown of the opening-weekend audience was 50% male, 75% aged 25 years and older, and 52% African American, 31% Caucasian, 10% Hispanic, and 4% Asian.[12] Audiences polled by PostTrak gave the film a 70% overall positive score, with 51% saying they would definitely recommend it.[11]
Critical response
The film review website Metacritic surveyed 19 critics and assessed 12 reviews as mixed, 5 as positive, and 2 as negative. It gave an aggregate score of 52 out of 100, which it said indicated "mixed or average" reviews.[3] The similar website Rotten Tomatoes, which categorizes reviews strictly as positive or negative, surveyed 55 critics. It assessed 38 reviews as negative and 17 as positive, resulting in a 31% approval rating. The average rating calculated was 5.2 out of 10. The site summarized the critical consensus, "[It] has a promising premise, but is too timid to fully engage with its most provocative ideas."[4]
The Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan critiqued the film as a satire with a novel concept that ultimately falls short, turning a potentially sharp commentary on racial tropes into a mix of superhero and romantic comedy elements that lack depth and fail to challenge audiences. He said despite its creative premise, the film's execution is seen as overly cautious and pandering, missing the opportunity to make a more impactful statement on race and representation in cinema.[13] Entertainment Weekly's Devan Coggan expressed disappointment with the film, noting that while it introduces a compelling concept that challenges a long-standing cinematic stereotype, it ultimately struggled to maintain momentum, getting lost in a conventional romantic comedy subplot that dilutes its satirical potential. Coggan said the film failed to deeply explore its own themes or fully develop its magical society's world, resulting in a narrative that neither satisfies as a critique of racial representation nor as a romantic comedy, leaving much of its promise unfulfilled.[14]
References
- ^ a b "The American Society Of Magical Negroes (12A)". BBFC. February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "The American Society of Magical Negroes — Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ a b "The American Society of Magical Negroes Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "The American Society of Magical Negroes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ "Exclusive: Take A Look at The New Trailer For 'The American Society of Magical Negroes,' Director Kobi Libii Talks His Debut Film". BET. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ^ a b Macaulay, Scott (March 10, 2021). "SFFILM Announces Recipients of 2021 Dolby Institute Fellowships". Filmmaker. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
- ^ a b Grobar, Matt (November 15, 2023). "Focus Features Dates Kobi Libii Satire 'The American Society Of Magical Negroes' For Spring". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (December 15, 2023). "'The American Society of Magical Negroes' Trailer: Justice Smith Belongs to a Club That Makes White People's Lives Easier". Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ^ "The American Society of Magical Negroes". Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (March 14, 2024). "Box Office: 'Kung Fu Panda 4' Poised to Rule Again as Mark Wahlberg's 'Arthur the King' Targets $10 Million Debut". Variety. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 17, 2024). "'Kung Fu Panda 4' Second Weekend At $31M+ Expected To Karate Chop Sandworm — Saturday AM Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
- ^ Goldsmith, Jill (March 17, 2024). "'Love Lies Bleeding' Expands Into Top Ten With 'One Life', 'The American Society Of Magical Negroes' – Specialty Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Michael (March 15, 2024). "'The American Society of Magical Negroes': A bloodless satire that's too eager to please". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Cuggan, Devan (January 20, 2024). "The American Society of Magical Negroes doesn't live up to its magical premise". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
