Review of Fences (2016) by Jon R — 15 Jan 2017

After railing a bit on "Manchester By the Sea" yesterday, I had a strong desire to be cinematically satisfied. Unexpectedly, I went to see the one movie I wanted see over any other, the film version of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "Fences." I'm glad I did.

Denzel Washington directs this beautiful film with some of the richest characters I've ever seen collectively in a film, all flawed in their own way and as real as I can imagine. Set over the course of the 1950s and 60s in urban Pittsburgh, "Fences" symbolically represents the constructs we build around ourselves, the choices we make, the consequences of our life decisions and the impact we have on others. There is such immense humanity in these brilliantly acted characters. They represent all of us more closely, even uncomfortably so, than many characters portrayed in film.

The extensive dialogue is indicative of its status as a play first, but fits very well for the film. Denzel mixes camera turns/circles with brutal stationary shots that perfect match the mood and subject matter occurring at the time. As a result, the translation from stage to film is near perfect. Viola Davis is phenomenal, as usual, but the major scene when Denzel's Troy gives her some particularly bad news, is Oscar-worthy in and of itself. I hope the Academy notices and showers this film with everything it can.