This movie was too much like a stage play. So much talking!
A brilliant stage play -- but plays are different than good films.
It's a cardinal rule: films mostly show while plays mostly talk. It's the differing nature of the two media.
It's a lost opportunity.. I lot of people aren't going to watch this film with so much talking. Those people are going to miss a powerful message about racism.
Perhaps you should invest more time in watching films exclusively from the silent era...
The same people who saw the Broadway show will come out and see "Fences" (even more people will see it because the film will reach those outside of New York City). A brilliant script handled by talented actors and under intelligent direction will succeed, whether on stage or the silver screen. Talking is fine as long as there's a story to engage audiences. Did the story move you? Could you pick up all the emotions that were bubbling under the surface? Did you notice any other messages/issues that the film covered?
Are you saying that audiences are too stupid, immature or short on attention span to handle dialogue?
The performances were outstanding so it really didn't matter to me if it appeared "stagey" like a play or cinematic like a film. It was a powerful piece regardless.
I loved the dialogue. It stayed true to the play.
shareIt's ignorant to say a film can be entirely about dialogue thus it's bad.
shareyes
shareThere are just as many words as August Wilson deemed necessary. This works for me. A play and film may have many things in common, share many qualities. Some plays are opened up more than others in the adaptation to film. In Sidney Lumet's very successful adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's masterpiece, Long Day's Journey into Night, the play is barely opened up or altered in any way. The cardinal rule is do not mess with a masterpiece. Place the audience on stage with the cast, but never dumb down the play by streamlining the story for mass consumption. Washington's adaptation is not perfect, yet it is quite successful. He is not a seasoned film director, but he knows the story and characters intimately. Highly recommended.
12 Angry Men. A bunch of guys mostly sit around a table and talk for 96 minutes. Must be pretty boring, right? :)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050083/
Those people should give it a chance, and particularly pay attention to how a strong cast should look in nearly every scene. In my opinion this is about a great a transfer as the material would have allowed.
Trying to create a channel based on interpreting, reviewing, and even giving you something to laugh about film. Hope you enjoy what you see. Thanks in advance.
Review of the film here-https://youtu.be/IAkFp11Hwq4