Fences

Play trailer

2:26

Fences

PG-13

2016

2h 13m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

271 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington) makes his living as a sanitation worker in 1950s Pittsburgh. Maxson once dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, but was deemed too old when the major leagues began admitting black athletes. Bitter over his missed opportunity, Troy creates further tension in his family when he squashes his son's (Jovan Adepo) chance to meet a college football recruiter.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

From its reunited Broadway stars to its screenplay, the solidly crafted Fences finds its Pulitzer-winning source material fundamentally unchanged -- and still just as powerful.

Read Critics Reviews

Anne Thompson

IndieWire

Davis went big...debuting film actor Jovan Adepo shines...

Mar 31, 2020

Full Review

Kristen Lopez

Culturess

Fences is one of the most prescient movies out now.

Nov 20, 2017

Full Review

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

The performances by each of its six main characters... combined with Washington's gripping direction (inciting a mix of terror, madness, and pity), FENCES is simply extraordinary. It is not to be missed.

Rated: A+

Mar 22, 2017

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

“Fences,” directed by Denzel Washington, is one of the finest and most seamless examples of the power of performance being translated from the stage to the screen.

Rated: 5/5

Oct 13, 2024

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

“Fences” is lively and vibrant yet aching and tragic. The cast’s rapport carries over beautifully from stage to screen, and their handling of August Wilson’s characters comes from an understanding far deeper that simple familiarity.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 20, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

It's impossible to watch and not be moved.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 5, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

James T

Thought and emotion provoking insight to a time frame many of us never knew. Davis and Washington respectfully do an awesome job delivering their characters in a way that makes you a part of the anger, the sympathy, the anguish, and everything in between.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/13/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Success in 2 hours and 13 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $57,600,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/13/25

Full Review

Dean M

I love Denzel and he is great in this as always, but the movie was lacking any real movement or come together at the end. I found it hard to watch and frustrating but maybe that's why others think it is so powerful. Basically it's about an angry, difficult man who learns nothing in his life and his whole family suffers because of him. He is afraid to help others prosper in any way and in turn makes everyone's life misery. Probably some good lessons for some to learn but its also over 2 hours I won't get back.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/31/25

Full Review

belajar untuk r

I only watched up to 30 minutes, it's just dialog without anything else, and the dialog was bland.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/21/25

Full Review

Cameron H

A long movie to be set in pretty much one location throughout, but there were great emotional moments and superb acting from Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/06/25

Full Review

Will G

A fantastic film. Did well at the Academy Awards. Denzel Washington is a great actor. Viola Davis won best actress for this film. It is about a family that lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/22/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Denzel Washington

Director

Denzel Washington

Troy Maxson

Viola Davis

Rose Maxson

Stephen Henderson

Jim Bono

Jovan Adepo

Cory

Russell Hornsby

Lyons

Fences: Official Clip - Alberta Had the Baby

2:09

Fences: Official Clip - The Best of What's In Me

2:13

Fences: Official Clip - Becoming a Man

2:08

Fences: Official Clip - Somebody's Daddy

2:12

Fences: Official Clip - Death Knocks Again

1:51

Fences: Official Clip - Sins of the Father

2:11

Fences: Official Clip - Wrestling Death

2:12

Fences: Official Clip - I Ain't Got to Like You

2:09

Fences: Official Clip - Troy's Victory

2:15

Fences: Official Clip - The Same Spot As You

2:14

View more videos

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

44%

61%

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Watchlist

Moneyball

94%

86%

Moneyball

Watchlist

Doubt

79%

78%

Doubt

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Doubt

Trouble With the Curve

51%

66%

Trouble With the Curve

Watchlist

Coming Through the Rye

68%

65%

Coming Through the Rye

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Coming Through the Rye

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Denzel Washington Coolest Lines Mashup

2:00

Fences: Trailer 2

2:26

Fences: Trailer 1

1:50

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington) makes his living as a sanitation worker in 1950s Pittsburgh. Maxson once dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, but was deemed too old when the major leagues began admitting black athletes. Bitter over his missed opportunity, Troy creates further tension in his family when he squashes his son's (Jovan Adepo) chance to meet a college football recruiter.

Director: Denzel Washington
Producer: Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington, Todd Black
Screenwriter: August Wilson
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Sony Classical, Scott Rudin Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Some Suggestive References|Language|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 24, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $57.6M
Runtime: 2h 13m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

Most Popular at Home Now