Skip to main content

Fences


Starring: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, and Stephen Henderson
Directed by: Denzel Washington
Screenplay by: August Wilson
Based on the play by August Wilson

    Pittsburgh, 1957.  Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington) is a sanitation department worker, who hangs on to the back of the garbage truck collecting people's trash.  He desperately wants to move up to be the truck driver.  Along with waiting for the weekend to come every week, he grumbles about his broken dreams of being a baseball player in the major leagues.  He was good enough once for the Negro leagues and is upset that Jackie Robinson was the first African American in the majors instead of him.  His disdain for Robinson spills over into his family where his son, Cory (Jovan Adepo), wants more than anything to play college football.  Troy is the patriarch of a dysfunctional family.  Troy is a bitter man, the opposite of his wife, Rose (Viola Davis).  Rose wants Cory to go after his dreams, but Troy feels that they will hold Cory back, and that Cory must do what is necessary for the family (such as getting a job and doing his fair share).  There is a lot of baggage surrounding this family, especially Troy.  He's even had an affair with a local woman which resulted in her getting pregnant.  Everything follows Troy like it's a dark cloud around him.  Even the construction of a fence in the backyard can't keep it out.
    Fences is a masterpiece film for a number of reasons.  Denzel Washington and Viola Davis both won Tony awards for their roles when the play was revived in 2010, and they both deliver award worthy performances in the film.  This is not a film where camera techniques or visual effects are shown off.  This film is extremely bare bones on that front, because that's not the focus of the film.  The focus is very clearly on the actors, and it shows.  This is a film that deals with social issues, economic issues, racial issues, and so much more.  Once you leave the theater after its 139 minute run time, you've seen a lot.  Almost too much to handle.  The dialogue is extremely fast paced, and for some parts of the film, it's almost non-stop.  At times, it feels more like a stage production and less like a film.  It is a brilliant translation from stage to screen.
   
I give Fences an A+.

Image Source: Teaser Trailer

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Hunger Games

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth Directed by: Gary Ross Screenplay by: Gary Ross and Suzanne Collins Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins      If reality television hasn't gone too far yet, then this show should definitely make it go too far.      In a futuristic nation called Panem, one boy and one girl are selected from each of the nation's twelve districts to represent them in an annual television event called the Hunger Games.  Of the 24 contestants, only one will survive in this televised fight to the death.      I like the concept of the story.  While this futuristic society seems somewhat simple, it does not seem all that well developed.  It is unknown how this society came into being, even though it is known how the Hunger Games began.      If this film were released last year, I would have hoped it would be nominated for best make-up.  Many of the characters ...
2 comments
Read more

The Social Network

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Justin Timberlake Directed by David Fincher Written by Aaron Sorkin    "You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies."  This film is an interesting take on the historical genre.  Normally we would think of something that happened long ago, whether or not it happened in our lifetime.  "The Social Network" is interesting because it's about the violent founding of something that seemingly everyone around us uses, Facebook.    It is fantastically written and the acting was excellent, especially Jesse Eisenberg.  He plays the role of Mark Zuckerberg, an undergraduate student at Harvard University who is breaking up with his girlfriend in the very first scene of the movie.  The dialogue that Sorkin uses makes Zuckerberg sound like a pretty big jerk, especially for this first scene.  I enjoy when actors really get into their character and it's clear that Eisenberg enjoyed ...
1 comment
Read more

Don Jon

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Glenne Headly, Brie Larson, and Tony Danza Directed and written by: Joseph Gordon-Levitt     To the gentlemen with significant others, clear your internet history BEFORE you see this movie with them.     Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has an interesting life.  He cares about only a few things; his apartment, family, church, friends, girls, and porn, especially the porn.  He's nicknamed "Don" because he hooks up with the most attractive girls every weekend.  One night at the club, he meets Barbara (Scarlett Johansson).  She's different from all the other girls Jon hooks up with.  She wants more than just a happy ending one night, meaning Jon's going to have to change his game if he wants to get with her.  And as much as he likes her, he likes his porn even more.  She hates that he watches porn, so something's going to have to give.     Don Jon is ...
Post a Comment
Read more