Fences 2016
Fences is not just based on a play, but essentially is that play given a more realistic set and some camera work. That’s fine, but I don’t know if I realized that before I went in. A lot of the play consists of Denzel Washington’s character talking. Denzel is great at this, talking a mile a minute, bringing in this kind of conspiracy and that, blustering about how hard he has had it, talking about the world around him. But it soon becomes clear he is just a bitter old man and treats everyone around him like dogs, including his wife (played by Viola Davis) and son. The movie is set in the late fifties in Pittsburgh and maybe gives a glimpse of life during that time as things start to get better for minorities but with a long way yet to go. Washington’s character is a garbage man who has complained to his bosses that only white guys are allowed to drive the truck and worries that he might get fired. The movie reminds me a little of some of the good scenes in Barbershop where it is just guys shooting the breeze with each other. But as the plot thickens (really it is a character study since there isn’t much of a plot) I just learned to really dislike this guy. So now here’s a whole movie centered around a guy I don’t like and who continues to become less likable as the movie wears on. So that’s where it left me. The harmless banter was kind of fun, but the weight of this bitter man left me resenting that I was wasting my time with him. It is rewarding in a way, with a lot of drama, and the performances are exceptional. Both Washington and Davis won Tony awards for their performances in a 2010 revival of the play, and these characters fit them like a well worn pair of shoes. Still, it is not enjoyable. Critics will like it and maybe people with strict overbearing fathers who tried to smother everything around them can relate, but not for me, thanks.
Written: 27 Dec 2016
Owned on: Digital