Starring: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson
Directed by: Denzel Washington (“The Great Debadters”)
Written by: August Wilson (debut)

Reprising their roles from the 2010 Broadway revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington (“Training Day”) and Oscar nominee Viola Davis (“Doubt”) star as a married couple living in 1950s Pittsburgh struggling to come to terms with the imperfect life they have created for themselves and their family. Directed by Washington, his first film behind the camera since 2007’s “The Great Debaters,” and adapted to the screen by the original playwright, the production has no qualms about presenting the narrative to viewers as if they were watching a stage performance. Still, Washington and Davis, especially, give incredible performances, which is reason enough to forgive the film’s cinematic shortcomings.