Fruitvale Station
Composite Score: 82.57
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray, Ahna O’Reilly, Ariana Neal, and Marjorie Crump-Shears
Director: Ryan Coogler
Writer: Ryan Coogler
Genres: Biography, Crime, Drama, Romance
MPAA Rating: R for some violence, language throughout, and some drug use
Box Office: $17.39 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Fruitvale Station is Ryan Coogler’s debut feature film, based on the true story of Oscar Grant, who was killed by police in the Bay Area in the late 2000s. It features Michael B. Jordan starring as Oscar, alongside Octavia Spencer as his mother, Wanda, and Melonie Diaz as his girlfriend, Sophina. The film follows Oscar on his last day of living as he connects with family, friends, and acquaintances and looks forward to the potential that a new year brings (it takes place on December 31, 2008). All told, the film seeks to humanize this victim of police brutality and shines in the consistent moments of humanity that comprise its narrative. The film received the AFI Award for Movie of the Year in 2013 for its humanizing portrayal of the injustices that Americans have now become even more intimately acquainted with since 2012, and especially since 2020.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Though Fruitvale Station’s central message is one of humanity and righting the wrongs of an unnecessarily militarized police force, it still features black trauma as the catalyst of this message, which can be very difficult for viewers to process, especially those directly affected by such tragedy. I will say, outside of the moments of violence in this film (right at the beginning and very near the end), Fruitvale Station shies away from highlighting the shooting in any way, choosing instead to focus on Oscar’s humanity and his hope rather than his death. Such focus does not make his death and the scenes of the shooting any more easily palatable but could potentially make the film more watchable than some others that some might put into this type of victim-centric category.
On a less topical note, Fruitvale Station was a feature debut for writer/director Coogler, and in many ways, it ends up feeling like an extended short film. Its use of mostly unknown actors (outside of the leads), many scenes of characters conversing in cars, and even some of the dialogue ends up feeling more like a student film than one from a major studio. (Fruitvale Station’s budget is estimated according to IMDB to be $900,000.) Maybe it just comes from having watched a few amateur short films with similar energy, but some of these more indie aspects served more to remind me that I was watching a movie than keep me invested in the story and message being presented.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
Fruitvale Station succeeds spectacularly in capturing the humanity of Oscar Grant’s last day. Every interaction between Michael B. Jordan’s character and anyone else on the screen feels genuine, hopeful, and relatable exactly as Coogler seems to have intended. In so doing, the film also highlights, to an even greater scale than any news story, tweet, or Instagram post ever could, the intense tragedy and injustice that comes from police killings of all kinds, and particularly of members of the black community. By showcasing Grant’s hopes for the future, the film breaks down the arguments of police apologists who try to use former criminal activity to justify killings – these arguments should never work, as it is not the role of the police to judge or punish criminals, but here we are. By showcasing the many human connections that he makes throughout the day, the film reminds everyone how impactful such tragedies are and how truly close to home they should feel every time we see them in the news. By the film’s end when footage of Grant’s real daughter at a rally in his memory is shown on screen, the film’s challenge comes through loud and clear – more has to be done to keep these tragedies from happening again.
Carrying this film’s powerful message are the performances of Michael B. Jordan as Oscar and Octavia Spencer as his mother. Jordan’s performance is unquestionably the best of his career – appealing to the emotional and human nature of the audience as he portrays this very real hero and his unfulfilled hopes for the future. His quiet charisma invites the audience to root for him even when they’ve been shown the ending from the start. Supporting Jordan’s impressive turn is Octavia Spencer’s performance as his mother. Coming quite soon after her Oscar win for best supporting actress, Spencer’s Wanda is the central figure of Oscar’s day, as the 31st happens to be her birthday, and her presence as a mother figure is felt for the entirety of the film’s runtime – anchoring Oscar throughout his day and in flashbacks and then his loved ones after the shooting occurs. Hers is a tragically powerful performance of a mother who cares so much for her son, again reminding the audience of how close-to-home all of this should feel.
Strong performances from Spencer and Jordan support a well-crafted message of humanity and the need for police reform in Fruitvale Station, making its place among the Greatest Films of All Time unquestionable. Though its content can feel a bit on-the-nose and its subject is perhaps triggeringly violent, the film does ultimately leave viewers with a positive direction to take things and a sense of purpose surrounding such events. This film is currently available to stream on Paramount+ for anyone who has not yet seen it.
