Director / Denzel Washington (ANTWONE FISHER, THE GREAT DEBATERS)
Stars / Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby and Mykelti Williamson

Bringing the character to screen that he performed on Broadway 114 times, FENCES star Denzel Washington directs this domesticated drama. Based on a play by the late August Wilson, FENCES is the sixth in a ten-part cycle which won the 1987 Tony Award for Best Play, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. During its revival in 2010, FENCES again found award success, collecting Best Revival of a Play at the Tony Awards, along with acting award wins for stage & film stars Denzel Washington & Viola Davis.

Looking to replicate some of that on-stage success at this year’s Academy Awards, FENCES is up for four nominations, including best picture and adapted screenplay. This drama is about a working-class, African-American family set during the 1950s and the husband & father (played by Washington) of that family with past transgressions that he is yet to confront.

There is one crucial detail pertaining to the presentation of FENCES that you must be privy to prior to watching – much of this film is shot and presented as though it were still performed on a stage. A dialogue-driven, aurally & verbally demanding opening hour, which is very rich in specific characterisation, but with little plot development, may overwhelm viewers that do not arrive with the immediate attentiveness required. Hang in there though, for this testing yet critical passage is paramount to the next two riveting acts that are forthcoming. 

Anchoring the entire first half alone are the stellar performances from the five core cast members, and most notably from Oscar-nominees Denzel Washington & Viola Davis. The two leads share a few scenes beyond the one hour point that not only become eligible for this year’s stand-out in acting, but also transcend FENCES in terms of quality, storyline and production. Some critics and audiences may feel that Washington hasn’t entirely succeeded with the first-ever transition from stage to screen of FENCES. There are a number of sequences that deviate from a theatrical tone and certainly pan out in a more cinematic fashion. Regardless of the upcoming views, Denzel’s intentions are always evident and his execution often skillful.

Cinema audiences will be captivated and involved by what they experience in this excellent film, so long as that aforementioned prior knowledge is in hand with their admission ticket.

4 stars 

Viewer Discretion/ PG (mild themes, sexual references and coarse language)

Trailer / FENCES

Moviedoc thanks Paramount Pictures and the Cinema Nova for the screening invite to this film.

Review by Moviedoc / “LIKE” on Facebook – Moviedoc

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