Fences (2016)
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A working-class African-American father struggles to raise his family in the 1950s while confronting the consequences of his past.
The story
In 1957 Pittsburgh, Troy Maxson is a garbage collector and a gifted storyteller who lives in a modest house with his wife, Rose, and their teenage son, Cory. Troy’s life is shaped by his past as a talented baseball player who was barred from the major leagues due to the color barrier. As his brother Gabriel faces financial and legal issues, and his son Cory begins to show promise in football, Troy must navigate the complexities of his family's expectations and the limitations imposed by the era. The narrative explores the tensions between his protective nature and the reality of his choices.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Set in 1957 Pittsburgh, Troy Maxson, a garbage collector, navigates a complicated life with his wife Rose and son Cory. Having been a talented baseball player in the Negro leagues, Troy's career was cut short by the color barrier. He faces internal and external pressures: his brother Gabriel is mentally impaired and facing legal issues; his son Cory is being scouted for football; and his friend Bono suspects him of an affair with Alberta. After Alberta dies during childbirth, Troy brings home their baby, Raynell, whom Rose agrees to raise. The film depicts the deteriorating relationship between Troy and Cory, culminating in a physical confrontation where Troy kicks Cory out. Six years later, after Troy dies of a heart attack, a now-soldier Cory returns home. The story concludes with a family gathering where the truth of Troy's life is shared, and the family finds a moment of peace as the sun shines on them.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 138
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Denzel Washington
- Writers
- August Wilson · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Denzel Washington · Troy Maxson; Viola Davis · Rose Lee Maxson; Stephen McKinley Henderson · Jim Bono; Jovan Adepo · Cory Maxson; Russell Hornsby · Lyons Maxson; Mykelti Williamson · Gabriel Maxson; Saniyya Sidney · Raynell Maxson
- Genres
- drama
- Themes
- father-son relationships; racial discrimination; family dynamics
- Tone and mood
- drama
- Premise and plot tags
- period piece; biographical drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- August Wilson's 1985 play Fences
- Content notes
- language
- Reception
- The film received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for the performances of Viola Davis and Denzel Washington, and for the screenplay by August Wilson.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 79 · scale: 100 · review count: 48
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Supporting Actress · 89th Academy Awards · win; Screen Actors Guild Award · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role · 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards · win; Screen Actors Guild Award · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role · 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Supporting Actress · 74th Golden Globe Awards · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Supporting Actress · 70th British Academy Film Awards · win
- Production trivia
- The film was adapted from a play and released over a decade after the playwright's death.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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