Denzel Washington and Viola Davis star in Fences. Photo from Fencesmovie.com

By Aleyshka Barbosa

Based on the play written in 1985 by American playwright August Wilson, Fences was released in theaters around the US on December 15, 2016. The movie primarily takes place in the backyard of Troy and Rose Maxson’s home during the 1950s.

The protagonist, Troy Maxson, not only believes that “a colored guy has to be twice as good to get on the team,” even though Jackie Robinson has already broken the colored barrier; he strongly believes in everything he says. Troy and Rose are both people without much education, who live in a rudimentary neighborhood, and use impactful, almost poetry-like phrases and statements to reveal the message of the movie.

Troy Maxson, as described by many, can be a “monster.” His temper and his stubbornness throughout the movie seem to cloud him being able to see past his own beliefs. Even so, he is a strong character who has seen the hardships of life and has never backed down from anything might throw at him.

As made evident by the name of the film, fences play a very important role throughout the movie. Rose has been asking Troy for years to build the fence and although they both want the fence it is for every different reason. As said by Troy’s dear friend Bono, “some people build fences to keep people out, and other people build fences to keep people in.”

During the movie, Troy admits to his wife that he had an affair and his mistress, Alberta, is now carrying his child. At this point, the movie takes a turn. Cory, Troy’s son loses all the respect he had left for his father and Rose now starts soul searching in hopes to repair her faltering heart.

Troy begins to build the long overdue fence, trying to repair something greater than his hands can manage to repair. When the mother of the new born baby girl dies, Troy returns to his house and begs his wife Rose to forgive him and help him raise the innocent child. From that point on Rose takes in the baby girl, Raynell as her own, but does not let Troy back into her heart.

After a few years have passed, the film takes viewers back to the backyard now with a surrounding fence and a family who is preparing for the funeral of Troy Maxson. Gabriel, Troy’s younger brother, who has never been the same since suffering an injury in World War ll, sets Troy on his journey to the afterlife with the playing of his trumpet.

In this Oscar-nominated film, viewers learn the true meaning of the struggle in trying to keep something inside the fences, but finally recognizing no one can keep holding onto something that needs to be set free. Every character in the film had their weaknesses and struggles, but they were all trying their best to survive.

The audience is able to see spiritual struggles, internal battles, the art of forgiving and much more from watching this film.