FENCES is a Drama Film based on a Pulitzer Prize winning Play of the same name

USPA NEWS - 'Fences' is a 2016 American Drama Film directed by Denzel Washington and written by August Wilson, based on his Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name. The film was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten films of 2016...

'Fences' is a 2016 American Drama Film directed by Denzel Washington and written by August Wilson, based on his Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name. The film was chosen by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten films of 2016 and has been nominated for numerous awards, including four Oscar nominations at the 89th Academy Awards : Best Picture, Best Actor (Washington), Best Supporting Actress (Davis), and Best Adapted Screenplay. It also received a a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for Washington and a Best Supporting Actress win for Davis.

Directed by : Denzel Washington
Screenplay by : August Wilson
Based on : 'Fences' by August Wilson
Produced by : Todd Black, Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington
Starring : Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Saniyya Sidney
Distributed by : Paramount Pictures
Running time : 139 minutes
Release dates : December 15, 2016 (Curran Theatre), December 16, 2016 (United States), February 22, 2017 (France)

THE STORY

In 1950's Pittsburgh, Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington) lives with his wife Rose (Viola Davis) and their son Cory (Jovan Adepo), and works as a waste collector alongside his best friend, Jim Bono (Stephen Henderson). Troy's older brother, Gabriel Maxson (Mykelti Williamson), sustained a head injury in World War II that left him mentally impaired, for which he received a $3000 government payout that Troy used to purchase a home for his family. Troy's estranged son from a previous relationship, Lyons Maxson (Russell Hornsby), infrequently visits him to borrow money, upsetting Troy, whose belief in responsibility rejects Lyons' pursuing his dream of becoming a musician instead of finding a real job.

In his adolescence, Troy left home and became a robber to sustain himself. After killing a man during a robbery led him to prison, he met Bono and revealed himself to be a talented baseball player. He then played in the professional Negro Leagues, but never made it to Major League Baseball. His wife Rose tells him that Cory is being scouted by a college football team, but he is dismissive of Cory's chances of reaching the NFL He does not want his son to fail as he did, but there is also some jealousy that Cory might achieve the success that had eluded his father...

OUR REVIEW

Soon after it won the Pulitzer back in 1987, Eddie Murphy was lined up to play the lead with Norman Jewison behind the camera, but August Wilson refused because there was no way it would be directed by anyone who wasn´t black. The project fell through and the play stayed on the stage with Wilson continuing until his death in 2005 to insist on a black director. So, Denzel Washington is making his third movie behind the camera, picking the project being essentially a transfer of the 2010 Broadway revival which won he and co-star Viola Davis Tony awards.

It is as faithful, impeccably acted and honestly felt a film adaptation of the celebrated play. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis know their parts here backward and forward, and they, along with the rest of the cast, hitting both the humorous and serious notes.

Photo cover :
- 1 - Copyright MMXVI Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. / David Lee
- 2 - Copyright Paramount Pictures France

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