It can feel oddly dated but that’s probably because it took about ten years to get made and is based on a book from about two decades ago. I’ve seen a lot of criticism of it as being myopically focuses on a very particular type of upper-middle class blackness that neglects some of the broader class dynamics of the book and… yeah, it does, but when it’s deliberately focused on that I’m not sure how strong a criticism that is. I also feel like breaking the fourth wall to get yourself out of having to stake your flag in the ground of a single answer to the questions and issues the film raises can feel like a bit of a cop out, but at least it’s an honest one that works with the whole thematic and character discussion at play.

Beyond those slight issues though I think it’s pretty phenomenally acted, generally well written, wonderfully shot considering it was basically made over a few weekends, and often genuinely funny. It also does a pretty amazing job of putting the act of writing on screen, which is a tough thing to do.

I enjoyed it and can understand why some people really love it. I can also see how it got so many accolades and awards.