Fences is a 2016 American drama film directed by Denzel Washington and written by August Wilson. Starring Washington, Viola Davis, Jovan Adepo and Stephen McKinley Henderson, the film focuses on a man and his life, family, and job. The film began a limited release on December 16, 2016, before opening wide on December 25. The film was released to universal acclaim, with Rotten Tomatoes listing an approval rating of 93%, based on 207 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10, and Metacritic listing a score of 79 out of 100, based on 48 reviews.