Fences

— August Wilson’s play makes for a good film under Denzel Washington’s loving hand. The only problem is that it knows its own importance and, while watching the film, recent events are hard to shake and “Black Lives Matter” looms in the background, skewing the play's perspective. It’s also still more a filmed stage play than a bona fide film in spite a Hollywood budget and 360-degree camera shots to show off great interior sets. The dialogue feels like stage dialogue too—not many quiet conversations or much subtlety as the actors seem to be projecting their voices, amplifying the dialogue for a theater audience instead of conversing among themselves while being filmed. That’s not to say the acting isn't very good; Viola Davis' performance stands out. It’s hard not to appreciate August Wilson’s words and this is a good rendition that I’d recommend seeing.

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[2016. 139 min. Directed by Denzel Washington. Starring Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson, and Jovan Adepo.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fences-2016