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Fences

Fences

Some people build fences to keep people out, and other people build fences to keep people in.

2016139 minPG-13Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Director
Denzel Washington
Starring
Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo

In 1950s Pittsburgh, a frustrated African-American father struggles with the constraints of poverty, racism, and his own inner demons as he tries to raise a family.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Fences?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Fences streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Fences?

Fences earns 11 badges, led by Standout acting and Awards magnet.

Show 3 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Fences worth watching?

Fences' Midcredits score is the 87th percentile of all films, from 273K ratings across 6 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

87th percentile

Better received than 87% of films

89th percentile among Drama87th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)85th
Approval (how many liked it)85th

72 /100

85th percentile of all films

88th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 2010s

Critics 79 · Audience 72

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

86th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 2010s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 92% · Audience 75%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 33 wins / 66 noms overall

  • WonGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

97th percentile

273K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Drama97th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$24M
Opening weekend$129K
Domestic gross$58M
Worldwide gross$64M

Returned 2.7× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A faithful adaptation of August Wilson's Pulitzer-winning play that showcases powerhouse performances from its cast, especially Washington and Davis, yet feels resolutely like a filmed stage production rather than a cinematic experience.

Fans praised

  • Viola Davis's transcendent, emotionally raw performance
  • Denzel Washington's layered portrayal of a complex, flawed patriarch
  • August Wilson's rich, poetic dialogue

Detractors panned

  • Static, stage-bound direction that never becomes cinematic
  • Tedious pacing and overlong runtime
  • Unrelentingly talky, repetitive, and dramatically inert

What stands out

ActingDivisive92

Viola Davis and Denzel Washington deliver career-best, Oscar-winning performances

DialogueDivisive85

August Wilson's rich, poetic, and demanding language

CharactersDivisive80

Complex, flawed, but often unlikable Troy Maxson

Emotional impactDivisive78

Powerful, cathartic scenes particularly Davis's outburst

EndingDivisive70

Emotionally resonant but anticlimactic for some

Plot and storyDivisive60

Character-driven family drama, slow and episodic

Originality50

Faithful adaptation of a classic play, not a fresh cinematic interpretation

PacingDivisive40

Overlong, slow, and repetitive

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 13 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Fences like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholicCathartic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material completely straight, with earnest performances and a heavy, grounded sincerity.
The rideThe film maintains a steadily rising tension punctuated by explosive arguments, with the emotional weight landing hardest in the final reconciliation scene.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically over several years, following Troy's life and its consequences.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a poignant mix of sorrow and forgiveness, with Troy's tragic flaws eventually acknowledged by his family.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).TragedyHubris
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% (this title) · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Hubris: Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeTroy Maxson's pride and bitterness from his failed baseball career lead him to damage his family, culminating in his isolation and death, fitting the tragedy of hubris.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4% (this title)
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsBetrayal · 5% of filmsLegacy · 4% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the strained ties between Troy, Rose, and their sons, exploring how betrayal and unmet expectations warp family love.
StanceThe film grieves the damage that pride and unhealed wounds can inflict on a family, without excusing or celebrating any character's choices.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalJazzSupportive music · original score · Marcelo Zarvos
Settinga black working-class neighborhood in 1950s Pittsburgh
MusicThe score blends blues and jazz motifs that evoke the period and Troy's inner turmoil.

Content guide

Is Fences okay for kids?

PG-13

Fences is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some suggestive references” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (32/100), sexual content at minimal (14/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (43/100) and frightening material at moderate (40/100). Overall it is heavier than 34% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK12A
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • France12
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanR18+
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • PortugalM/14
  • RO18
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 24% of all filmsHeavier than 34% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 27%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 19%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 68%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 85%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 42%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 68% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Fences have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Fences?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; 2 award-winning performances in the cast.

Denzel Washington
as Troy Maxson
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Viola Davis
as Rose Maxson
Oscar win: Academy Award — Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Stephen McKinley Henderson
as Jim Bono
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jovan Adepo
as Cory
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Russell Hornsby
as Lyons
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Mykelti Williamson
as Gabriel
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Saniyya Sidney
as Raynell
SAG nominee: Screen Actors Guild Award nomination — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Lesley Boone
as Evangelist Preacher
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Christopher Mele
as Deputy Commissioner
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jason Silvis
as Garbage Truck Driver
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Fences?

Movies like Fences include Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020), Tokyo Sonata (2008) and The Piano Lesson (2024). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by August Wilson, and most are chamber dramas.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its subject: family bonds. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Fences?

3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: chamber drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.