Fences (2016) ★★★★ Quote:
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In 1950s Pittsburgh, a frustrated African-American father struggles with the constraints of poverty, racism, and his own inner demons as he tries to raise a family.
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This film which is all about the strength of the central performances, the power of the acting and the brilliance of the screenplay. There were times when I was reminded of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and A Streetcar Named Desire, all incredibly powerful and successful screen adaptations of acclaimed plays with reasonably small casts.
With Denzel Washington reprising his Tony-winning role from the stage play, he would be thrust into the same light as Paul Newman, Richard Burton, and Marlon Brando as actors who have been tasked with making a film successful through their performance (and the cast around them). Where Brando had Vivien Leigh and Kim Hunter, Paul Newman and Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Washington has Viola Davis, also reprising her Tony-winning performance from the 2010 stage version. It's not just Davis, but the bulk of the cast is from that celebrated ensemble, and the familiarity between them is clear to see.
You don't watch Fences for an audiovisual spectacle – this isn't The Matrix, Avatar, or Gladiator – but for powerhouse performances in a very well realised 1950s setting bringing August Wilson's words to life. It's a great play which makes for a very good film.