'Fences' A Review

Fences is a drama film, adapted from the August Wilson play of the same name. In 1950s Pittsburgh Troy(Denzel Washington), a trash collector, and his wife Rose(Viola Davis) live and love and raise their son Cory(Jovan Adepo). Cory is an aspiring and talented football player, supported by Rose but stifled by Troy because of his suspicions of professional sports due to his time in the Negro Leagues and falling short of the MLB. Time passes and tensions mount as Cory rebels and Troy is forced to reveal a familial betrayal.

Both Davis and Washington give tour de force performances- complex, emotional, human turns that elevate working day-to-day existence and struggle to an impactful comment and resonant commonality. The supporting cast is mostly flawless with Stephen McKinley Henderson as Bono Troy's friend and Mykelti Williamson as Troy's brother Gabe both giving excellent fully formed vibrant turns. Adepo as Cory is sufficient but some potential tension and nuance is left unfulfilled, perhaps crowded out or cowed by the scope and range of his onscreen parents.

There is a startling and effecting lack of score in the film, it relies first and foremost on the actors to give the characters and story clarity without the assistance of emotional orchestral swells and the film is infinitely better for this restraint. There are some odd camera flourishes that seem either out of place or overwrought but they don't ultimately detract from powerful and harmonic performances.

An emotionally brutal but incredibly potent American story.

See It.