My Fiancé Makes Us Watch This Intense Denzel Washington Flick Every December—But It’s Definitely Not a Christmas Movie

The 2016 drama, based on the famous August Wilson play, stars Washington and Viola Davis as Troy and Rose Maxson, a couple living in 1950s Pittsburgh. The working-class family struggles like any other, balancing love, power and dreams of a better life.

Powerhouse actors Washington and Davis previously played the roles opposite one another in the 2010 Broadway production. And their unbelievable performances (and chemistry) on stage translate brilliantly to the screen here.

The subject matter is intense and personal, as Troy tries to come to terms with the decisions he’s made in his life and how those decisions affect Rose and his son, Cory. The scenes range from joyous to uncomfortable to downright hard-to-watch, particularly one in which Davis’s Rose confronts Troy about his indiscretions and her lifelong devotion to him. (Davis’s performance in this scene is a master class in acting.)

Not only did the movie receive a stellar rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but it was also nominated for a number of Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor (for Washington) and Best Supporting Actress (for Davis). Davis won the statuette.