Film Review: The American Society of Magical Negroes sugars unpalatable truths with irreverent humour

Justice Smith and An-Li Bogan in The American Society of Magical Negroes

• The American Society of Magical Negroes
• ★★★★☆
• Cinema release

A ‘magical negro’ in popular culture is a black character who secretly aids white folk as they navigate a perilous and baffling world.

Co-opted into The American Society of Magical Negroes (12A), aspiring artist Aren (Justice Smith) is commissioned to assist Jason (Drew Tarver) as he struggles to cope when his social media company, Meetbox, is accused of racism.

Happy to do his bit to ‘make the world a safer place’ — because angry white people frequently results in dead black people — Aren leaps into the fray, only to fall head-over-heels for Jason’s co-worker and current crush, Lizzie (An-Li Bogan). 

Should Aren save the world or listen to his heart?

Writer-director Kobi Libii’s debut is a charming comedy with a scabrous subtext that sugars unpalatable truths with irreverent humour. 

The satire is a little blunt at times, and the dialogue is on occasion exposition-heavy, but Justice Smith and An-Li Bogan generate good chemistry as they rise to the unusual challenge of carrying off a politically charged rom-com, while Rupert Friend is good value as Mick, Lizzie’s boss and a quietly deranged billionaire tech bro.