Fences (2016) * * 1/2

Directed by:  Denzel Washington

Starring:  Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Mykelti Williamson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Stephen Henderson

I approached the numerous speeches in Fences like I would listening to someone tell a long story.   At first, I may take genuine interest in what is being said.   Then, I would politely nod as I start to maybe listen to every couple of words.    Then, I would completely shut out what is being said and begin looking for ways to extricate myself from the conversation.    I'm too polite to say, "Get to the point, already," but that is the advice the actors in Fences need.  

It is a pity.   Fences, directed by Denzel Washington, who also stars in a role that won him a Tony Award, has moments of genuine power, but it can't get out of its own way.    It saddles itself with too much dialogue.    It doesn't flow, but stops and starts like a skipping transmission on an old car.    I began to commend the actors for knowing all of the words than I did for the power of their performances.    Based on the late August Wilson's play, Fences does indeed feel like a filming of a staged play.  

The setup is intriguing, as we see Pittsburgh sanitation worker Troy Maxson (Washington) walking home from work on a Friday afternoon with his old work buddy Bono (Henderson) by his side.   They speak with the familiarity of old friends and we learn they have a long history together.    Bono sometimes knows Troy better than Troy knows himself.    Troy wants to be a a garbage truck driver instead of slinging garbage from the back of the truck.    He doesn't have a driver's license and can't read, but that is of little concern to him.    He wants to better himself and his family plus pay for the building of a fence in his backyard.

Life seems simple.   Troy is married to Rose (Davis), who handles the house finances, the chores, and keeps Troy in line when she calls him on his b.s.    His oldest son Lyons (Hornsby) drops by every payday to borrow $10.00, which Troy eventually agrees to after making Lyons sweat it out through insults to his manhood.    Troy's younger son Cory (Adepo) wants to play for his high school football team, which Troy opposes not because he thinks football is dangerous, but because of his own failed past as a Negro League baseball player.    Troy scoffs at Jackie Robinson, while boasting of his supposed baseball achievements.    ("I once hit 7 home runs in a game off the best pitching in the world,")   Don't even talk to him about Sandy Koufax.

We sense Troy's bitterness towards the world after many swigs of gin and when he lets his charismatic facade down.    Rose sees Troy's flaws as a husband and father, but stays loyal to him,   Cory is not nearly as willing to be as forgiving of his domineering father.    All of this is good setup and we gradually see how Troy's selfishness and life choices haunt his family, but the power in the plot revelations is fleeting.    There are a couple of breakout scenes from Washington and Davis which will no doubt be used as clips on this year's Oscar telecast.    Their respective nominations are shoo-ins by now.    Washington's directorial nomination may have to wait for another film.

Fences is Washington's third directorial effort, following Antwone Fisher and The Great Debaters, both of which I found underwhelming.    I think Fences is more or less connected to its material and Washington loved it too much to think of trimming, say, 20 minutes off.    The proper ending occurs 15 minutes before the actual one, when we have to endure another Viola Davis speech and two characters singing a song.    This is all done well, I suppose, but it isn't moving.    The ending gives way too much credit to Troy, who frankly doesn't deserve it.     We can't believe all of this talk about him being a good man, when the other two hours tells us otherwise.    He isn't a bad man, just a bitter one worn down by life, alcohol, perceived racism, and missed opportunities.     But that doesn't make him worthy of celebration either.

The performances are nonetheless solid, including the supporting players (many of whom starred in the 2010 Broadway production in which Washington and Davis won Tonys).     I enjoyed the give and take between Washington and Henderson, who plays Bono as a man who is wise to Troy even if he doesn't always communicate it.     But, make no mistake, the focus is on Washington and Davis, who are given ample screen time and dialogue.    We see Williamson as Troy's disabled war veteran brother Gabe, who drops in too much on cue speaking about helping Saint Peter open the gates of heaven.    A little of Gabe goes a long way.    Williamson also played Forrest Gump's war buddy Bubba, who forever espoused the virtues of shrimp.   I couldn't help but be reminded of Williamson's work there.

Fences has the makings of a powerful drama, but it never achieves liftoff.   It has scenes where he seems to head in the right direction, only to bog itself down with verbosity.    Actors may love to play roles with lots of dialogue and a lot of time at center stage,    I found myself not loving it all that much.