Fences
A proud Pittsburgh sanitation worker's buried disappointments turn his struggle to protect his family into a painful confrontation with his son's future.
Overview
A powerful exploration of dreams deferred and familial conflict in mid-century America.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- serious
- intimate
- poignant
- reflective evening
- theater adaptation viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a powerful American family drama elevated by Denzel Washington and Viola Davis's towering performances, while noting its theatrical limitations.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Troy's blocked baseball ambitions and his conflict with Cory connect institutional racism to father-son resentment.
August Wilson's workaday conversations and monologues turn domestic arguments into highly charged dramatic set pieces.
The Maxson household and its unfinished fence function as the principal space for family negotiations, confrontations, and revelations.
The film foregrounds dialogue, blocking, and close interpersonal performance over cinematic spectacle, reflecting its stage-play origins.
Films like Fences, and why
A Raisin in the Sun
shared family drama, racial injustice, working-class pressure, and commanding central performances
The Piano Lesson
shared intimate domestic conflict, emotionally forceful dialogue, and african american family themes
The Color Purple
shared historical racial tension, fatherhood themes, working-class struggle, and acclaimed ensemble acting
Movie Details
- Director
- Denzel Washington
- Release Date
- 2016-12-16
- Runtime
- 139 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (2864)
Cast
- Denzel Washington
- Viola Davis
- Stephen McKinley Henderson
- Jovan Adepo
- Russell Hornsby
- Mykelti Williamson
- Saniyya Sidney
- Lesley Boone
- Christopher Mele
- Jason Silvis
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Paramount Plus Essential
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Fences about?
- A proud Pittsburgh sanitation worker's buried disappointments turn his struggle to protect his family into a painful confrontation with his son's future.
- What is Fences like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Fences as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Fences violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Fences.
- What did critics think of Fences?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a powerful American family drama elevated by Denzel Washington and Viola Davis's towering performances, while noting its theatrical limitations.
- Which films are like Fences?
- Films with a similar feel include A Raisin in the Sun, The Piano Lesson, and The Color Purple.
- How long is Fences?
- Fences runs 139 minutes.
- Where can I watch Fences?
- In United States, Fences streams on Paramount Plus Essential.
