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Fences

2016 · Movie · PG-13 · 139 min · ★ 6.9 · 86% critics

Drama

Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, the story follows a frustrated father facing poverty, racism, and his own inner struggles as he tries to raise his family. As tensions build within the household, their attempts to hold things together are tested by hard choices and emotional pressure.

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Watch free on Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Kanopy +1 more — also streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

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Details
Years
2016
Release date
2016-12-16
Language
English
Rated
PG-13
Runtime
139 min
Max quality
UHD
Critic score
86/100
TMDB rating
6.9/10 (2,811 votes)
Box office
$64,414,761
Budget
$24,000,000
About

You’ll likely enjoy Fences if you want an intense, talk-driven family drama with strong performances in a 1950s setting; Not for you if you dislike slow, stage-like dialogue-heavy stories or prefer more action-forward films like The Great Debaters or Selma.

Pros: powerhouse acting; authentic family drama; engaging dialogue | Cons: slow, talk-heavy pacing; repetitive stage-like feel; melodrama can drag

Themes

  • garbageman
  • war veteran
  • baseball
  • father
  • based on play or musical
  • family relationships
  • racism
  • pittsburgh, pennsylvania
  • life story
  • father son relationship
  • sentimental
  • intense
  • +1 more

Awards & recognition

  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actress · 2017
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actress · 2017 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Actor · 2017 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 2017 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Picture · 2017 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by Denzel Washington