Reviews

August Wilson's screenplay adaptation of his Broadway opus, Fences, has been masterfully directed and acted by Denzel Washington. It's the story of Troy Maxson, a blue collar worker for the Pittsburg Dept. of Refuse (a garbage collector).We meet him when he's 53 years-old. The year is 1957, and although it pre-dates the Civil Rights movement, Troy has taken the initiative to apply for a promotion that historically has gone to white men only.

In short order, we discover how charming this man is. He's an amusing raconteur who talks in monologues. Amusing, that is, until we see how he interacts with his two sons: Lyons (Russell Hornsby), the older one from a previous relationship, and Cory (Jovan Adepo), his teenage son from his marriage to the long-suffering Rose, played by Viola Davis. Troy relishes tormenting his children, mocking Lyons in front of a family friend and berating Cory for changing the hours of his part-time work in order to attend football practices.

As we watch Troy's behavior: bullying like a tyrant one minute, complimenting and flirting with Rose the next, it becomes obvious that this is not a one-dimensional man. Troy relates a harrowing tale of his last interaction with his father and a synopsis of the path he took when he left rural Alabama for the city. His was not an easy life, and it's obvious he resents his sons who have more choices and freedom.

Fences, whether they're designed to keep people out or in, is also a metaphor for Troy's relationships with his family members. He won't let them in or out. At the very end, both his sons realize that despite their father's fences, Troy managed to inhabit them and those around him.

This film stayed with me and made me reflect on the complexity of human beings, on the pain we inflict and joy we infuse and share with others during our brief time on earth. It is such a welcome relief from the formulaic movies that audiences are often fed.

Before watching Fences, I was convinced Casey Affleck would win the Oscar for best actor. Now I think the award needs to go to Denzel. His portrayal made me think no other actor could have inhabited this role so completely, creating this larger-than-life personality in Troy Maxson. And Viola, oh Viola -- I bow in homage to your transcendence. You broke my heart. The character of Rose could have easily been subsumed by the power of Troy's personality, but not with Viola in the cast. I sincerely hope that Oscar voters recognize the intensity and professionalism of these two actors this February.

Because I don't believe one should judge a whole series on a pilot, I gave this show a neutral rating of 5/10. I am a big fan of Kevin James and King of Queens. The comedic timing of James and Remini (and the very talented Jerry Stiller) on that show made for perfect chemistry. Kevin Can Wait introduces us to Kevin Gable, a just-retired cop, his wife, Donna (Erinn Hayes), their children, and his recently-retired cop buddies. For some reason, the creators of this show thought pairing a working-class, overweight guy who loves afternoon drinking (beer, of course) and go-karts with a gorgeous, much younger, school nurse would be a good idea. As talented as Ms. Hayes is, she and KJ are simply mismatched. Leah Remini was also a bit too gorgeous but that was offset by her strong NY accent and her toughness. I like that Kevin James' brother is back (Gary Valentine), playing a firefighter who still works, albeit as the cook for his firehouse, but I'm waiting to see whether the supporting cast will come anywhere near the talent of Victor Williams, Patton Oswalt, and Nicole Sullivan, who provided so many laughs as Kevin James' friends in King of Queens.

Yes, I am making a lot of comparisons between this show and one that went off the air 9 years ago, but Kevin Can Wait's main character is not much different than Doug Heffernan who is not much different from Kevin James' standup character. So these comparisons are fair. I believe this show has promise, and I will watch more episodes and post again.

A gorgeously-filmed story with subtle and heart-breaking acting by Ms. Rampling. This is the story of a couple on the brink of their 45th anniversary party whose relationship is rattled by a revelation about the husband's long lost love. As the story unfolds, you see the wife (Rampling) piecing together the nature of this relationship -- a bond she hadn't known about in all their 45 years together. Her pain is palpable as is her husband's, but neither really talk about the elephant in the room. While there's nothing to forgive, it's obvious the foundation of the marriage is shaken to its core, but they continue with their lives and continue to care for each other. This description doesn't do it justice, but it's one of the most moving films I've seen in a long time. Kudos to the director Andrew Haigh who filmed this so gorgeously and sparingly. Not many could do what actors Tom Courtenay and the marvelous Charlotte Rampling did through their ability to use their faces and bodies so beautifully. I adore this movie.