Fences Review
PG13: Thematic Elements, Language and Some Suggestive References
Paramount Pictures, BRON Studios
2 Hrs and 19 Minutes
Cast: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Saniyya Sidney
REVIEW: Sometimes actors in Hollywood get tired of being in front of the camera and prefer to perform onstage. For Denzel Washington several years back in 2010, he starred in the broadway revival of the August Wilson classic Tony Award-winning Fences as Troy Maxson alongside Viola Davis as his wife Rose Maxson which originally back in 1987 starred James Earl Jones, Mary Alice, and Courtney B. Vance. Washington loved the play so much he passionately expressed his desire to star, produce, and direct a feature film adaptation of it. Not many filmmakers have done this (being taking on all these responsibilities to adapt a play for theatrical production) and the ones that do (primarily Tyler Perry) never hits a home run. But unless you’re Uncle Denzel who has directed 2 other great films himself he could hit home with this (especially when next year’s awards season needs the push to avoid the #OscarSoWhite controversy).
An African-American father struggles with race relations in the Unites States while trying to raise his family in the 1950s and coming to terms with the events in his life.
THE GOOD: If you have been a New Yorker such as myself or a broadway fanatic by any chance who desirably wished to have seen this revival on Broadway but never had the chance to see it or couldn’t just flat-out afford it well this film is the answer to your long-awaited prayer. Not only Washington takes the majority of the cast members of the 2010 broadway revival but also takes Wilson’s work and for the most part just move it to its Pittsburg, Pennsylvania setting that the play took place in. This is just a play that is adapted for the screen. For the first hour and a half the film there are only two settings of this film which is interior and exterior of the Maxson household. It isn't an adapted play that has text on the screen that says ACT I or SCENE I for you could tell on your own just by the film’s editing. You feel the transitioning of the acts and the scenes within the movie by several fades, fade to blacks, cuts, and cut to blacks. For the most part, the film is respectful towards its source and is very contained with what son the page. At times it feels like an indie film by the slim number of locations it has.
The movie lies solely on two things, the screenplay and the performances. The film is written by the playwright August Wilson who passed away over away a decade ago but before doing so wrote a draft of a screenplay for his film which got several punch-ups by playwright/screenwriter Tony Kushner. This may be one of the easiest Oscar nominations for Washington, Davis, and Henderson. All three were nominated for a Tony for their performances with Viola and Washington winning, so obviously the Oscar is that easy. Since they have performed this piece numerous of times, you feel that the screenplay is already ingrained in their heads that performing it for cinema is much easier. I'm certain that some of these scenes were done in one take since the principal photography took place in the spring of this year. Just like the play, the film has plenty of great dialogue of constant metaphors of baseball and working as an allegory for life and death.
Washington working on camera and behind it for the third time does a magnificent job juggling both. There are several versions of Denzel Washington in cinema. There’s the "cool" Denzel, the "I know everything" Denzel, and "I can’t get my life" together Denzel. Just like Robert Zemeckis’ Flight this mixes the "I can’t get my life together" with the I know everything Denzel with Troy Maxson. He is delivering this great dialogue in a rapid voice with so much charisma that you even as flawed as he is you believe he can do no wrong even when he does the worst towards his family. As easy as it may seem, Washington puts all his passion into the film with his direction and his performance.
The cast member that truly blew me away was Viola Davis. Viola Davis doesn’t only keep up with Washington’s performance but at the same time manages to outshine him. From the numerous works she has done in film and television, this is arguably one of the best performances she has ever put on. She is an ultimate powerhouse who both commits to the role that you can believe that she knows at the back of her hand. There are clips of the play on YouTube of her breaking scene that is powerful but as its transformed in the film, it's so powerful it’s damn near moving. I have never trembled so hard watching an actress in tears that snot comes out of her nose more than Davis in this film. If you have snot coming down your nose as performing, that is full on dedication. Somehow by breaking down emotionally like that, comes across more realistically human than any actress in tears. It can really define the perspective of a person’s performance.
The other cast members most notably Stephen Henderson, and Jovan Adepo does a great job of supporting characters Mr. Bono and Cory Maxson to Troy and Rose. Henderson is that wise old neighbor and friend who is a magnificent voice of consciousness to Troy to keep him grounded as many times as he messes up. Every time he appears onscreen a huge smile would come on as he brings the humor out of Washington which makes a good amount of scenes very comedic. He was one of the original cast members of the revival so he's overly familiar with the material so it makes the chemistry between him and the rest of cast quite genuine. Adepo, however, brings out the terror in Washington. He is that son that represents the relationship between fathers and sons during the 50s where discrimination was still high that being lenient to the youth to help them mature wasn’t ever an option. Nearly every scene between the two is intense because of the testament has towards his son who is constantly crushed from achieving every opportunity given towards him.
THE BAD: If you saw the trailer and thought OH MY GOD THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR, let me assure you, you may or may not come out a bit disappointed. The film is just and I mean just an adaptation from the play nothing more, nothing less. The film constantly mentions other characters who the leads have off-screen interactions with but aren’t ever seen. It is okay to be faithful to the play, but then there is also playing it safe which this film does from beginning to end. It doesn’t dare to take any risks for it constantly plays it by the book and plays it safe. As much as this film uses baseball analogies throughout, I’m going to use one to describe this movie. This film is the equivalent to a Major League pitcher who threw a no-hitter while pitching in a Minor League game. Just like the pitcher, the film does a job well done but in an effortless fashion.
LAST STATEMENT: Denzel Washington’s Fences is a simple yet passionate adaptation of August Wilson’s masterpiece that is respectful to its source material providing incredible performances and great dialogue throughout.
Rating: 3.5/5 | 78%
Super Scene: “What About My Life?”
