Fences

Starring and directed by Denzel Washington, this is a straight up adaption of August Wilson's award winning stage play.  And that is both it's greatest strength and it's major flaw.  There's great drama and characters on show, but it's overly wordy, lacks the wider visual treatment, and there isn't the sub plot exploration of a properly cinematic experience.   It's also why there are only six characters of any significance.

Washington plays Troy, a fifty three year old bin man in 1950s Pittsburgh.  On the face of it he's a good man and has got his life sorted.  A steady job, a happy marriage, a best friend he can share a laugh and a drink with.  But as the plot unfolds the flaws in his character become apparent.  Underneath the man of sense and self-made achievement lie bitterness, a sense of victimhood and a bullying certainty of his own rightness.  When the secret he is holding back explodes it damages all around him.

The rock steady contrast to this volatility is his wife Rose (Viola Davis), patient, understanding, committed to her family life.  A quiet and subtle presence for much of the action, Davis excels in a snot-fueled, anger-driven rant that is the film's most memorable, and genuinely emotional, moment, and hers is the stand out performance of the movie.

In contrast to the two leads the other characters feel dissatisfying, two dimensional also rans.  Worst is Gabriel, Troy's brain damaged brother, who must provide some light relief in a theatre, but is a step too far in pathos for the screen.

The symbolism and metaphors are too overt for the intimacies of the screen.  Although racism is addressed itangentilly, the main themes of the story revolve around family relationships, misogyny, secrets and lies.  At it's heart is the damage the alpha male stereotype does to all around it, including the person themselves.  And that there's more to being a good person than trying to shape others into your own view of goodness.

One further criticism.  At 139 minutes it's about half an hour too long, with attention flagging at times.  Less respect for the original script and more effective editing could have brought big improvements.  Overall it's hard to recommend.  Yet the performances of Davis, and to a lesser degree of Washington, are definitely worth watching, and there are universal messages that will resonate with many in the audience.