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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

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