Fences was based on a stage play — and certainly looks it — of the same name and while it does boast a fine cast, headlined by Denzel Washington (who also directed) and Viola Davis, but despite the talent, it’s a talky and often tedious drama with a loathsome main character that even the charming Washington can’t make him very likeable.
Fences
(2016)
Genre(s): Drama
Paramount | PG13 – 138 min. – $39.99 | March 14, 2017
Date Published: 03/17/2017 | Author: The Movieman
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PLOT SYNOPSIS
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| Some people build fences to keep people out – and other people build fences to keep people in. Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, the film takes a look at former Negro-league baseball player Troy Maxson (DENZEL WASHINGTON) as he fights to provide for those he loves in a world that threatens to push him down. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 2.75/5 |
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This release comes with a glossy slip cover and inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. Expanding the Audience: From Stage to Screen (8:53; HD) looks at adapting the stage play into a feature-length motion picture. The Company of Fences (9:17; HD) examines the cast, some who performed in the Broadway stage play. Building Fences: Denzel Washington (6:56; HD) – The co-producer/star discusses taking the play to the big screen and includes behind-the-scenes footage and balancing the dual roles of acting and directing. Playing the Part: Rose Maxson (6:57; HD) – Viola Davis talks about playing the role of Rose. August Wilson’s Hill District (6:25; HD) looks at the production design of the neighborhood. |
VIDEO – 4.5/5 |
| Paramount builds Fences onto Blu-ray presented with a 2.39 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer. The picture looks quite good with sharp detail throughout and colors are more on the drab side as the film in keeping with the era so there are on the natural spectrum. |
AUDIO – 4.0/5 |
| For whatever reason, this drama, which is almost 100% dialogue, is given a 7.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio track. It’s a bit overkill for sure but still dialogue levels do sound crisp and clean and when the music/score does kick in, not to mention ambient and background noises, the rear channels do get some modest usage. |
OVERALL – 2.5/5 |
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Overall, Fences was based on a stage play — and certainly looks it — of the same name and while it does boast a fine cast, headlined by Denzel Washington (who also directed) and Viola Davis, but despite the talent, it’s a talky and often tedious drama with a loathsome main character that even the charming Washington can’t make him very likeable. This Blu-ray released through Paramount offers good video/audio and an okay selection of bonus material. |
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.