One of the best of the year and Oscar-worthy performances.
Fences
Grade: A
Director: Denzel Washington (The Great Debaters)
Screenplay: August Wilson (The Piano Lesson)
Cast: Washington (The Magnificent Seven), Viola Davis (Doubt)
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2 hr 18 min
by John DeSando
“Good fences make good neighbors.” Robert Frost
In the case of August Wilson’s inspired screenplay/play for Fences, that humble construction serves to isolate the protagonist, Troy (Denzel Washington), in his own Archie-Bunkerish know-it-all and his family: “Some people build fences to keep people out, and other people build fences to keep people in.” Bono (Stephen Henderson)
Because of his benign selfishness and his magnetism, Troy influences for good and bad everyone with whom he comes in contact.
The 1950’s were not model years for tolerance or equality, so in the riveting Fences, this black working class family, with dad as a garbage man, is just barely making it through. Yet, Director Denzel Washington brilliantly keeps our ears on sparkling dialogue, witty and revealing, less influenced by class and more by character weakness and alcohol.
While Washington reprises his role from the Broadway production to be the best of his career, Troy’s faithful wife, Rose, is played to perfection by Viola Davis for a sure Oscar nomination. As Troy attempts to express love for his younger son in rough and unloving ways (“I bust my butt 'cause I like you? You're about the biggest fool I ever saw”), Rose is aware of the sacrifices she has made, not the least of which are the 18 years with him: “I gave eighteen years of my life to stand in the same spot as you!” (Rose).
Existentially she is much better off than he, for she lays claim to her conscious decisions that kept her tethered to him for almost two decades. He, however, never seems to be settled about his low station in life and sons who don’t meet his expectations. His is not a peaceful life.
The race issue of this outstanding 2016 film, where whites are the oppressors, is balanced by the mere presence on stage and frame of a black family with tragic components so often reserved for white heroes. In short play time, color is easily forgotten while character transcends to levels so color blind as to immediately assign the souls to humanity rather than race.
“Now don't you go through life worrying about whether somebody like you or not! You best be makin' sure that they're doin' right by you! You understand what I'm sayin'?” Troy
John DeSando, a Los Angeles Press Club first-place winner for National Entertainment Journalism, hosts WCBE’s It’s Movie Time and co-hosts Cinema Classics. Contact him at JDeSando@Columbus.rr.com
