Appeasement As Parody: ‘The American Society Of Magical Negroes’ Film Review
Kobi Libii’s directorial debut is 2024’s The American Society Of Magical Negroes. The film satirizes the trope of the “Magical Negro” which is a common archetype in fiction where a black character’s sole purpose is to help a white character. The film theorizes that there is a centuries-old clandestine group who call themselves The American Society Of Magical Negroes that teaches young African Americans to ease white people’s discomforts. Ultimately, the film is at its strongest when it is satirizing the trope. The film’s humor offers one of the most unique comedies of the year. Where the film falls apart is in the romantic storyline.
The film begins with Aren, played by Justin Smith, whose. yarn sculpture doesn’t gain any buyers at a gallery and his night progressively gets worse when he is accused of stealing a drunk woman’s purse that he was holding for her. Then, a man named Roger helps Aren by diffusing the situation. Shortly thereafter Roger introduces Aren to the American Society Of Magical Negroes, a clandestine organization that uses their magical powers to make white people’s lives easier. For the most part, the film plays the role of a typical farce. It satirizes a filmic archetype that has been seen time and time again. Where the film lags behind is when it spends time with the love interest for the film. Lizzie, played by An-Li Bogan, has a chance encounter with Aren at a coffee shop which blossoms into a romance that makes Aren question his role in society. As his love for Lizzie grows, he begins to break the ties that bind him to society with world-altering consequences.
The strength of this film is in its humor. The film’s sharp wit and stylistic humor make this one of the most unique films of the year. The world-building is not only subtle but works to accentuate the humor of the film. The way that the magic system is shown and not told is a subtle touch. The way that it shows the incompetence of your average person is a definite highlight. It does this in a realistic way that humanizes not only the objects of the film, i.e. the white people in need of help, while also showing how the subjects, in this case the Society of Magical Negroes, must traverse life differently than their counterparts. It makes a nice statement about the world in which the story takes place. One of the best moments is when Roger, played by David Alan Grier, tells Aren about how when Roger was a kid, he saw his father not retaliate to a racist white man insulting him. Roger tells Aren that his grandmother then explained that his father might not have come home alive if he had retaliated. Ultimately, this film is a satire, but it holds a genuine sentimentality at its core that anchors the film.
Where the film is at its weakest is when the romantic B-plot steps into the forefront. It’s not necessarily bad, it just takes too much away from the interesting parts of the story. When the film shows the inner workings of society that is when the film is at its most poignant. Whereas when Aren and Lizzie are the central focus of the scene the film is at its most dull. The cinematography becomes less dynamic in these moments and the performances offer very little chemistry between the two characters and ultimately the storyline comes off as forced. Does this film need a romantic subplot? No, but if it has one it needs to serve as the ultimate drive for the story. It feels as if it were added to a later draft of an already established script and therefore didn’t get the same world-building treatment.
The filmmaker, Kobi Libii, makes his directorial debut with this film. He has a clear taste for Orson Welles’ filmography with the long takes and low-angle shots. The director executes what is a clear vision with an almost knowing sense of fun. The same film that has referential shots to Citizen Kane also references Sam Raimi’s iconic Spider-Man 2 shot where Peter Parker leaves the suit in the trash. In the writing aspect, Kobi offers a unique world that is subtly built. The film doesn’t explain things to the audience, but it allows the audience to understand society’s magic system by showing it in use. In the film’s humor, everything is played straight and creates a farcical tone that fits the stinging satire. The character of Roger not only acts as Virgil to Aren’s Dante but also operates as one of the funniest characters in the movie. The way he explains how they almost have to nurture white folks into being comfortable is nothing short of hilarious and simultaneously heartbreaking. Ultimately, this is a strong directorial debut in the storytelling department and whose premise makes Kobi Libii a filmmaker to watch in the coming years.
Although the film has a shaky B-plot, The American Society of Magical Negroes is one of the funniest movies of the year that holds some of the most imaginative writing from a directorial debut. This film is carried by its humor while the drama lags and doesn’t fit the world it’s going into. The irreverent humor makes this something that is genuinely enjoyable. However, Kobi Libby’s clear directorial vision for the film makes him one filmmaker to pay attention to.
