The American Society of Magical Negroes (2024) Focus/Comedy RT: 104 minutes Rated PG-13 (some strong language, suggestive material, thematic material) Director: Kobi Libii Screenplay: Kobi Libii Music: Michael Abels Cinematography: Doug Emmett Release date: March 15, 2024 (US) Cast: Justice Smith, David Allen Grier, An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver, Michaela Watkins, Aisha Hinds, Tim Baltz, Rupert Friend, Nicole Byer.
Rating: * ½
Never let it be said The American Society of Magical Negroes isn’t ambitious. It is. Perhaps too much so. Writer-director Kobi Libii bites off more than he can chew in this flawed first effort in which he attempts unsuccessfully to blend social satire, magical realism and rom-com into a palatable dish. It’s barely edible.
I didn’t dislike everything about The American Society of Magical Negroes which is why it rates an extra half-star. I’ll circle back to this momentarily. First, I’m going to break it down and explain why the film doesn’t work on any of the levels attempted. I’ll start with social satire which appears to be the main reason for the film’s existence.
The opening titles define a “Magical Negro” as a supporting character whose sole purpose is serving the narrative of a white protagonist. We’ve all met a MN on at least one occasion in our visits to the reel world. It turns out they’re all part of a secret society of black men and women whose job it is to make whites feel comfortable around people of color. They’ve been living among us since the days of slavery using their magic to deescalate potentially volatile situations. They’re expected to be deferential to white people at all times as well no matter what the scenario. It’s an interesting idea that lends itself well to satire. Unfortunately, Libii doesn’t know where to go with it. Rather, he doesn’t seem to want to tread into dangerous territory lest he open a political Pandora ’s box. Excuse me, but isn’t that the point of satire, to make waves? There has to be a sharp edge or else what’s the point? There’s no bite to The American Society of Magical Negroes. It’s more like a gentle poke in the ribs. The subject of race in modern society calls for way more than that.
Let’s look at the magical realism aspect of The American Society of Magical Negroes next. Okay, so the members all have symbiotic magical powers. They can teleport, levitate, move objects and read the anxiety level of “clients”. Are they learned powers or do all black people have them? If a member breaks a rule (e.g. putting their own needs or desires ahead of the client), everybody’s powers fail. This is about all we learn. We also don’t get a lot of 411 on the group itself. Are there chapters in other places around the world? What is the actual power structure? While one lady (Hinds, 9-1-1) is introduced as the president, there’s another woman (comedian Byer) who appears to outrank her. And how does David Alan Grier’s character fit in? Is he in a position of power or just a senior member? Libii doesn’t offer up much in the way of explanation.
Finally, there’s the whole rom-com thing. So it’s like this. Failed artist Aren (Smith, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) is recruited by Roger (Grier, In Living Color) after the latter saves him from a beatdown stemming from a misunderstanding involving a drunk white girl. Aren is one of those meek, super-polite black people who live in constant fear of offending the wrong white person. He is the very epitome of severe anxiety. Roger brings him into the fold and after helping a white cop (Baltz, The Righteous Gemstones) gain self-confidence, sends him in his first solo assignment. He’s to help Jason (comedian Tarver), a tech bro at the social media company Meetbox, with his problems. It seems he’s at a standstill in his professional and personal lives. At work, he’s tasked with helping fix a problem with his company’s facial recognition software. It doesn’t recognize black people, a glitch that becomes a PR nightmare for the outfit. He also has feelings for his “work wife” Lizzie (Bogan, After Yang), the more capable of the two who constantly gets sidelined by the higher-ups. Here’s the rub. Aren has feelings for Lizzie too, feelings that she reciprocates unlike Jason who she barely acknowledges outside their professional relationship. Aren, as per Society bylaws, is expected to set aside his own desires and help his white client get the girl. How many rom-coms have this same set-up (minus the magic and secret society stuff, of course)?
I liked two things in The American Society of Magical Negroes. First, Libii tosses in some funny gags about MN movies like The Legend of Bagger Vance, The Green Mile and Driving Miss Daisy. I got a laugh from them. They were pointed and 100% accurate. They speak to the film’s alleged purpose. Nothing else is as funny. Second, An-Li Bogan is absolutely endearing as the romantic interest dealing with discrimination issues of her own. I’ve never seen her before, but I truly hope to see her again soon. She has definite star potential.
The rest of The American Society of Magical Negroes they can keep. I get how hard it is to make an effective satire. It has to be pointed and it has to make a point. I’m not clear what the point of The American Society of Magical Negroes is. What’s it trying to say? I know it has something to do with black people always being hyper-vigilant about whites seeing them as a threat. Why then doesn’t it also address black rage? It waits until it’s almost over to even allow Aren to express his anger over how he’s treated by his co-worker/client. It would have been a powerful scene if not for all the pointless meandering that preceded it. Also, and this is really confounding, why is there absolutely no mention of black revolutionaries like Malcolm X or Huey Newton? Do radical black politics even exist in this world? Is this a multiverse type situation? Libii refuses to explain himself or the world he built.
We’re living in precarious times. Race has always been an issue, but it’s become especially volatile lately with police shootings and the Black Lives Matter movement. A truly bold filmmaker would tackle these issues head on. A truly gifted one would know how to approach it with the right satirical edge. Libii isn’t that filmmaker apparently. The American Society of Magical Negroes is a near total failure that not only wimps out, but also tries to make up for its failings with a simplistic happy ending that feels false and forced. There’s simply no reason to see it.
