Fences (2016), PG-13, ★★★

Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.

Denzel Washington is one of the best and most versatile actors, period. He can propel a routine screenplay or formula movie into another level. But, even with his impressive resume, he wanted to participate in a passion project in which he has experience and that was August Wilson's Fences. I have read the play in preparation for the movie and what got me interested in this were the characters because each character had a dream to pursue but priorities and responsibilities got the best of them as they were enclosed to reality as the fence was representing as it enclosed their space. From translating this play onto the big screen, the performances are great as they give it all their strength but somehow the direction is too laid back to capture the depressing and forceful period in which each person wants to go their separate ways.

In 1950s Pittsburgh, Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington) is working as a garbage collector alongside his friend, Bono (Stephen Henderson). Troy complains that they have never hired colored people to drive the garbage truck instead they hired colored people to do all the heavy lifting. He seems to be trapped in the reality as to colored people have to do perform their own tasks but at a lower level and never reach that full potential to become somebody. He lives with his wife, Rose (Viola Davis) and their son, Cory (Jovan Adepo). Troy and Rose have been married happily for 18 years as they recall their history together. She tells Troy that Cory has been recruited by a college football team but Troy responds that the college will not recruit a colored person.

Troy's older brother, Gabe (Mykelti Williamson), is a mentally impaired World War II veteran that has been living on the streets in their neighborhood, who has been tormented by the local children. He helped pay Troy by buying a house to provide for Troy's family. Troy was a robber and after he killed a man during a robbery that led him to prison, he met Bono and revealed to be a famous baseball player. Troy could got into the professional Negro baseball league but could not get into the Major Leagues because, based on his opinion, they would not recruit colored people.

Troy's elder son, Lyons (Russell Hornsby), from a previous marriage, infrequently visits him but to ask him to borrow some money, which upsets Troy because Lyons wants to become a musician and not find a real job. But, also, Troy's philosophy in responsibility eludes Lyons and also Cory to pursue their own dreams because as he gives a speech to Cory, he does not want him to fail like Troy did but there is also a hint of jealousy surrounding the relationship.

Here I go...monologuing. 

This is a solid film from director Denzel Washington but mostly he directs the actors impeccably well that we empathize or even carry hostility towards the appropriate characters. But, I had a problem with the direction between a little bit of the screenplay and also the production design. I felt most of the scenes don't carry well from play to movie as it is shot so closely to the characters' emotions as they are either frustrated or happy. We focus solely on how great Washington and Davis are acting but it is well-earned because they are reciting August Wilson's screenplay with gusto. But, sometimes, the monologuing does get carried away because I wanted a bit more breathing room as I wanted to be more moved in what they are saying to each other. I guess that is the main problem: I was not as emotionally moved as I was intellectually stimulated.

Like I said, the movie is mostly about the performances so Denzel Washington gives a riveting performance. His character like the push people on the edge of the envelope but it is well-earned not annoying because he went through the experiences of reality in America in which respect for African-Americans were not noticeable. It mostly exists but in the film, it exists in his head. Viola Davis needs to start practicing her Oscar speech because she gives one of the best performances of the year as she is mostly restrained as his wife who follows Washington's character but becomes her own free self in the latter half of the movie that it is great to have more control and be more happy.

Bottom line is that I don't think that this is a revolutionary piece of filmmaking like The Color Purple or 12 Angry Men, a movie that is set in solely a room where they debate the decision for the accused. I was on the edge of my seat in a couple of scenes but again, the movie did not earn my emotions but it earned my attention as to how intellectually drawn the characters are and the screenplay is real solid. But, there are flaws in the script as to there are a few too many monologues and also characters that are not shown that could have created some more suspense in the drama between Troy and Rose. Fences is a movie that navigates the characters and concept as to how the characters are in 1950s America real well. It is a well-crafted and well-told movie by August Wilson and Denzel Washington.

***