“Some folks build fences to keep people out. Some build them to keep people in.”
The relentless new film “Fences” will simply wear you down, but its skill and moral are hard to deny. Like a boxer with pinpoint accuracy, it beats you up for two hours with timely fundamentals and powerful lessons.
When Denzel Washington directs films, he joins the “Not Messing Around Crew”. An esteemed area of the filmmaking ring where he tells pitbull-tough stories about family, risk, race and the repercussions of one’s decisions. This is premium Denzel territory; “Fences” doesn’t pull a single punch in its tale of a father coming to terms with the events of his life while living a working class life in Pittsburgh in the 1950’s.
The main thread of this film is that Washington treats the film like an extra shiny rendition of the play. He doesn’t wish to add much else to the table. When you have a script carrying this much power and juice, you can leave the seasoning in the cupboard. There’s no extra helpings of style thrown on top or additional plot lines.
The plot seems simple, yet carries extra bite marks. Washington’s Troy Maxson has a monstrous chip on his shoulder, and it has to do with a life he feels has under-whelmed. He used to be a great slugger in the Negro Leagues and had the goods to hit Major-League pitching, but he was too old by the time Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Now, he hauls trash five days a week, brings home $75 and hands most of it to his loving wife Rose(Viola Davis, matching Denzel blow for blow) to pay the bills and fill the body of their son Corey(Jovan Adepo) with food. Continue reading “Fences: A “premium” slice of Denzel”
