The Fence (1994)

Simply Perfect

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

As Good As It Gets

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Billy Wirth gives another great performance in The Fence and it's one that leaves you feeling a strong sense of what his character is going thru. You may feel somewhat sad for the character "Terry Griff" as the story unfolds. Terry is pretty much dealt a bad hand in life from the beginning but appears to be of kind heart and good intentions. Leaving his past behind; watching him trying to establish a new beginning and seeing good fortune continually pass him by will make any viewer feel remorse. It is a struggle with living life, taking things as they come and getting another chance to travel a different road unless fate really has it already mapped out. This one is certainly 'Wirth' seeing.

Billy Wirth always stands out in any production he is involved in. His many talents and extraordinary good looks make him very unique to other celebrities. Although "The Fence" is a troubling story, it was very well done and is another example of Billy's ability to bring his characters to life. My family watches this movie often and we feel that many others will agree that it deserves more recognition.

Spoiler!! I happened to see this film late at night on a cable station and was deeply moved by it. It tells the story of teenaged Terry Griff, a white boy from a ghetto neighborhood, (played by a young Freddy Rodriguez; now a star on "Six Feet Under" who goes into juvenile prison for shooting his abusive father. The story picks up 13 years later when Terry, now played by the adult Billy Wirth, has graduated to a state penitentiary. He spends his time in macho contests of burning himself, while the other inmates bet on how much pain he can withstand. Pain seems to be his reference point, and perhaps the only thing that he understands. His only friend is Del Reston, a middle-aged black, heroin addicted inmate played by the great New York actor Paul Benjamin. Terry learns that Del and himself are going to be set free on an early release program.Terry, instead of being happy, is afraid. He doesn't know how to function in the world. Del assures him that that together, they will make it. Things spiral downward when Terry, trying to help Del with his heroin habit, succeeds only in getting his friend killed by a ruthless prison drug dealer. Terry is released and sent to a halfway house. The rest of the film is about his attempt to lead a normal life. He finds love with Del's sweet, young sister-in-law, and friendship with a young black street hustler, but his attempts at happiness are short-lived. A corrupt parole officer complicates his life and forces him to commit an act of violence which quickly escalates into Terry's fight for survival and ultimately, his tragic demise. This is a small, personal film, no huge stars, no big special effects, just heart-felt acting, great photography and a realistic story. It's also a story about race-relations, family, honor and a man trying to maintain his dignity in a world he simply was not built for. Yes, there are minor flaws in the film and it seems like maybe too much was cut from the final version, but it's still a gem of a movie, almost unbearably sad, but speaking volumes about who and what we are and asking important questions about fate, luck and life.