Three Reasons To See Fences Before the Oscars

Last updated on: February 10, 2017 at 5:03 pm by Paul Asay

Three Reasons To See Fences Before the Oscars 2017-02-10T17:03:30-06:00 Paul Asay

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Denzel Washington in Fences

3. The spirituality. Fences is about Troy Maxson and his relationships with his wife and son. But maybe even more so, it’s about his relationship with God. With his own fractured soul.

The film is filled with explicit moments of spirituality—particularly when Troy’s disabled brother Gabriel comes around, carrying a trumpet he plans to blow on Judgment Day. Gabriel says he’s been to heaven. Says he’s seen Troy’s name inscribed in Peter’s book. And indeed, Troy is a good man. Decent. Maybe even blessed.

But there’s a devil in Troy, too, and Troy knows it. His father was an evil man, he says, “just as evil as he could be.” Troy ran away when he was 14 after his father brutally beat him. “I knew why the devil never got him, ’cause he’s the devil himself.” He says he has some of his father in him. A darkness. And perhaps he’s been at war with it ever since. We see it come out.

Sometimes we see this struggle play out in the heavens themselves—sun piercing the shadowed clouds, a stormy night when Troy curses at death. Fences is more than a kitchen drama: It’s flat-out spiritual warfare, where Troy both defends the walls and hammers at the gates. Gabriel’s Judgment Day trumpet is so significant because aging Troy’s on the way to his own.

And in a haunting turn, Troy’s sensitive son, Cory, admits he can feel Troy’s own shadow at work in him. “You can’t be nobody but who you are, Cory. That shadow wasn’t nothing but you growing into yourself. You either got to grow into it or cut it down to fit you.”

Now, Fences is not trying to make a theological statement, of course. But it is about a man who wants to be good and bad, too—just like we all do sometimes. For a story so tightly honed in a very individualistic man, the film’s themes are so universal. We fight to be the person we should be. But sometimes—many times, maybe—we get in our own way. Our fears and insecurities and unreasoned rage undercuts the best in us. And it can hurt the people we love more than anything.

And we haven’t even gotten to Rose, the movie’s moral core. It’s telling that a picture of Jesus hangs over her stove and a relief of the Last Supper in her dining room, given how much of herself she’s sacrificed for her husband.

Fences is a difficult, stormy film. But man, it’s pretty good, too.

Previous Post

February 6, 2017

Logan Was the Super Bowl's Best Commercial, Claws Down

Next Post

February 15, 2017 CNN Examines Historical Christianity in Finding Jesus

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category books celebrities Editor's Choice games movies music news sports superheroes television Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 December 2025 October 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 September 2023 March 2023 February 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 December 2021 October 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I was beautiful and cunning, leading a rebellion against my father by stealing the hearts of Israel. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Absalom Amnon Solomon Adonijah

Books by This Author Books by Paul Asay

See All Titles »