Fences: Theatrical Cinema

Watching Fences is an exhilarating experience. Considering how intense it felt to watch it onscreen, I can't imagine how it felt to watch the live play on Broadway. Playwright (and screenwriter) August Wilson's story about a black man and his family in 1950s Pittsburgh is extraordinarily compelling, and this movie features performances that will make it impossible to forget.

Denzel Washington both directed and starred in the film, and for the first time, I understood why everyone considers him to be this generation's Sidney Poitier. He plays Troy Maxson, a garbage collector with a long and checkered past and many failed ambitions. This is an angry, powerful, and elegant performance that manages to convey all the many ways in which society has failed this man and he has subsequently failed society. The only person who can overshadow Washington's performance is, of course, Viola Davis, who plays Troy's wife, Rose. You might think you know what to expect since her most powerful scene already features in the trailers for the film, but there is nothing quite so viscerally thrilling as watching how her character quietly builds up to that explosive moment. Rose initially appears to be a woman who has everything she wants out of life, bu as the cracks in her marriage are gradually revealed, she must re-build the foundations of her existence.

The story features many twists and turns and while the movie feels clearly like a play that has been put on screen, it still works beautifully. There is near-constant dialogue, with Troy either spinning strange stories about his fight with the Grim Reaper or railing about the many ways in which the world is unfair to black men. Washington is such a charismatic actor that it would be easy to immediately empathize with Troy and take his side. However, as the movie progresses, you realize how bitter and angry this man is, and gradually, Rose emerges as the true hero of the piece. At first I didn't understand why Rose didn't feature more prominently - she was always off to the side, making a few comments while Troy rambled on endlessly about his day. However, it becomes clear that this is just a reflection of society - while Troy might think the world is unfair to black men, it's even more unfair to black women.

Fences is a fantastic film and I cannot imagine anyone winning over Viola Davis for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar this year. It features intense performances, an engaging story, and serves as a reminder that family dramas that take place in cramped settings often contain more sweeping anguish and power than the biggest blockbuster. It is also a reminder of the different ways African Americans have played the cards dealt to them by society - they can be resilient, crushed, or some combination of both, and this movie doesn't try to justify or glamorize any aspect of that struggle. It just lays it all out on the table and takes you along for the ride.