Fences (2016)

Directed by Denzel Washington 

Written by August Wilson 

Starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis 

     Well, it looks like we won't have to worry about a "white wash" at the 2017 Academy Awards. Fences takes substantial steps towards making sure of that. Denzel Washington steps behind the screen again as director of this film- adapted by the late August Wilson's 1983 Tony and Pulitzer prize-winning play. Such a captivating story, you lose sight of the "play nature" of the film. 

     Set in 1950's Pittsburg, Troy (Denzel Washington) is working as a garbage collector trying to make ends meet. An ex-Negro League baseball player, Troy is always stuck on the fact that he was never able to play for more money. Now he lives in a small house with his wife of 18 years, Rose (Viola Davis), and their son, Cory (Jovan Adepo). Even in his career as a garbage collector with his best friend Bono (Stephen Henderson)- Troy has a thirst for more. He has aspirations of becoming the city's first black trash truck driver. We soon meet other members of Troy's sort of unconventional family. He has a son, Lyons (Russell Hornsby) from a previous marriage. His brother Gabe (Mykelti Williamson) suffered an intense head injury in the war and recently moved out of his house to live on his own. 

     After being introduced to the extended family, the film begins to follow a string of events and crises in Troy's life. It's clear that he does not take it easy on his son Cory, as he says at one point- "what law is there that says I got to like you." He is a hard headed father and Cory is a hard headed teenage son. Feeling trapped, Troy enters an affair and the events that transpire after that are as devastating as you can imagine. Once this infidelity is confessed to Rose, this leads to a heart wrenching scene of ferocity- which inevitably should guarantee that Davis is accepting the Oscar for best actress in a supporting role. 

     Viola Davis's role in this film is anything but supporting- but if thats what leads her to winning her first Oscar, then I rest my case. With an entirely black cast, the film does a great job capturing the dialect and mood from this time period. Washington and Davis are brilliance as the leads. It is no surprise that they are responsible for 3 of the 4 Academy Award nominations the film received. Davis gave me goosebumps in some of her scenes. Her raw emotion was impeccable as always. It was no surprise either how wonderful Washington was for this role- considering he was in the limited release 2010 adaptation of the play. 

     A film filled with a lot of emotion and amazing acting performances. I don't think Fences got the audience it deserved, as many honest, intense dramas like this don't. However, the film got the necessary attention from the Academy. 

I give Fences a... 

8/10