Starring: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Jovan Adepo, Stephen Henderson, Mykelti Williamson, Russell Hornsby, Saniyya Sidney
OUR RATING: ★★★☆☆
Story:
Drama directed by and starring Denzel Washington based on a play of the same name. Set in 1950s, Fences (2016) follows African American father, Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington), a former league baseball player, now working as a waste collector, who struggles with race relations in the United States while trying to raise and provide for his family and come to terms with the events of his life.
Our Favorite Quotes:
'Some people build fences to keep people out, and other people build fences to keep people in.' - Jim Bono (Fences) Share on X
Best Quotes
Troy Maxson: When I first met this woman, I saw Rose and I latched onto her. I told her, “Baby, I don’t want to marry, I just want to be your man.” Rose told me…
Rose Maxson: I told him, “If he wasn’t the marrying kind then move out the way so the marrying kind could find me.”
Troy Maxson: That’s what she told me. “You’re in my way, you’re blocking the view, move out the way so I can find me a husband.”
Troy Maxson: [to Rose] Where’s Cory? I want him to help me with this fence.
'Don't you go through life worrying about whether somebody like you or not. You best be making sure that they're doing right by you.' - Troy Maxson (Fences) Share on X
Cory: Hey, pop? Can I ask you a question? How come you ain’t never liked me?
Troy Maxson: Like you? What law is there to say I got to like you?
Cory: None.
Troy Maxson: Alright then. Don’t you eat everyday? Answer me when I talk to you. Don’t you eat everyday?
Cory: Yeah.
Troy Maxson: As long as you’re in my house you put a “sir” on the end of it when you talk to me.
Cory: Yes, sir.
Troy Maxson: You eat everyday.
Cory: Yes, sir.
Troy Maxson: You got a roof over your head.
Cory: Yes, sir.
Troy Maxson: You got clothes on your back.
Cory: Yes, sir.
Troy Maxson: Why do you think that is?
Cory: Because of you.
Troy Maxson: Hell, I know it’s because of me, but why do you think that is?
Cory: Because you like me?
Troy Maxson: Like you. I go out every morning, I bust my butt because I like you. You’re about the biggest fool I ever saw. A man is supposed to take care of his family. You live in my house, fill your belly with my food, put your behind on my bed, because you’re my son. It’s my duty to take care of you. I owe a responsibility to you. I ain’t got to like you. Now I done everything I got to give you. I gave you your life! Me and your mama worked that out between us, and liking your black a** wasn’t part of the bargain. Now don’t you go through life worrying about whether somebody like you or not. You best be making sure that they’re doing right by you! Do you understand what I’m saying?
Rose Maxson: [to Troy] Everything that boy do he do for you.
'To take life as it come along. Keep putting one foot in front of the other.' - Jim Bono (Fences) Share on X
Rose Maxson: He got recruited by college football team.
Troy Maxson: It ain’t going to get him nowhere.
Jim Bono: [referring to Cory] If he be like you in the sports then he’s going to be alright. It ain’t but two men that ever placed baseball as good as you.
Troy Maxson: And what did it ever get me? I aint’ got a pot to pi** in or a window to throw it out of.
Lyons: [to Troy] Cory’s just trying to fill out your shoes.
Troy Maxson: I don’t want him to be like me. I want to him to get as far away from my life as he possibly can get. You’re the only decent thing that ever happened to me, Rose.
'Life don't owe you nothing. You owe it to yourself.' - Troy Maxson (Fences) Share on X
Rose Maxson: You can’t be nobody but who you are Troy. That’s all you got to measure yourself against the world out there.
Troy Maxson: Rose, I got something to tell you. I don’t know how to tell you this.
Rose Maxson: Why, Troy? Why?
Troy Maxson: He ought to know it was time.
Rose Maxson: I don’t want to know, dammit!
Cory: What did you ever get me?
Troy Maxson: Your feet! Them bones, that pumping heart!
Cory: You ain’t never done nothing but hold me back, afraid I was going to be better than you!
Troy Maxson: I done learned my mistake and I learned to do what’s right by it. You still trying to get something for nothing. Life don’t owe you nothing. You owe it to yourself. Ask Bono, he’ll tell you I’m right.
'A man is supposed to take care of his family.' - Troy Maxson (Fences) Share on X
Troy Maxson: It’s not easy for me to admit that I’ve been standing in the same place for eighteen years!
Rose Maxson: Well, I’ve been standing with you! I gave eighteen years of my life to stand in the same spot as you! I got a life too! Don’t you think I had dreams and hopes! What about my life! What about me!
Jim Bono: Some people build fences to keep people out, and other people build fences to keep people in.
'You can't be nobody but who you are.' - Rose Maxson (Fences) Share on X
Jim Bono: I been following you, too. I done learned a whole heap of things about life watching you. I done learned how to tell where the s**t lies. How to tell it from the alfalfa. You done learned me a lot of things. Showed me how to not make the same mistakes, to take life as it come along, keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Trailer: