Fences (dir. Denzel Washington)

Reel Review

English - February 10, 2017 22:54 - 1 hour - 127 MB - ★★★★★ - 8 ratings
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Next Episode: Get Out (dir. Jordan Peele)

Our inaugural episode of the Price Projection Room podcast features a lively discussion of the film adaptation of August Wilson's Fences, directed by Denzel Washington.

Fences is part of Wilson's series of ten plays, all set in Pittsburgh depicting different decades of African American life in the city, The Pittsburgh Cycle. Fences is set in the 1950’s, and its universal themes of generational, working class, and familial struggle make its setting in time seem unimportant. The film is directed by and stars Denzel Washington, along with Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson and Saniyya Sidney. Washington plays Troy Maxson, a former baseball player whose career in sports was cut short with a stint in prison for murder. Years later, bitter for a career lost, he stands to oppose his youngest son's desire to play football. While Tory struggles to find himself amidst the duties of family and work, the audience begins to see that each character faces the same grapples with the same interior dilemmas. This family drama focuses on themes of race, racism, duty, class, black life in America, and masculinity. For a summary of the film and its themes, check out the review on the Roger Ebert site.

Warning: *spoilers!*

Featuring Gregg T. Daniel, Ange-Marie Hancock, Jonathan Schwartz, and Erroll Southers

Special thanks to Dean Jack Knott, USC Price; Dean David Bridel, USC School of Dramatic Arts; and Dean Elizabeth Daley, USC Cinematic Arts for their support of this interdisciplinary conversation.

The Price Projection Room (PPR) features engaging conversations about film and television with interesting folks and USC experts from across disciplines (public policy, governance, theatre, and cinema) to look at visual storytelling, media literacy, diversity, and the public good.