Fruitvale Station - Review
This review of Fruitvale Station is spoiler-free!
When Black Panther was released in studios, I was introduced to a director I had known very little about up until that point. Truth be told, I find it hard it follow some directors as some often go years without a project. With Black Panther, Coogler went from a name some people knew to a household name that is commonplace in the film world. Before Black Panther Coogler was in charge of Creed, another film that I have on my list. Finally, arguably his first commercial success was Fruitvale Station, the movie I want to talk about today. This film is rather short, and something that feels a bit more like a means to remember history than to recreate a true event for profit. So without any more discussion, let's dive right in.
Fruitvale Station is the story of Oscar Grant in the final days of his life. He's a 22-year-old black man who is trying to get his life together after spending some time in prison. Doing so will allow his girlfriend and daughter to have a better life. Told mostly through flashbacks, we see Oscar's life as he travels to San Francisco to celebrate New Year's Eve. When they return, Oscar is confronted by the police and his life is put in the cross hairs of a young cop wanting to make a statement. As with many films that focus on telling a true story, I can't say that the story is bad. It's a powerful story as a whole and makes you sick to your stomach. It's important for the world today and to show just how badly treated people of other cultures are.
For this movie, there's really only one character that I can of to talk about. That character is quite obviously Michael B Jordan's Oscar Grant. Near the beginning of their constant collaborations on films, Jordan plays Grant perfectly. You can see the pain behind his eyes and he just wants to be himself but also provide for those he cares about. Sometimes though, he loses track of what he wants to be an ends up making mistakes. One of these mistakes eventually ends up setting up his unfortunate demise (Note, I am not saying that he caused his death). Regardless, Jordan has a standout performance in this role, and truly makes you connect with Grant in a way many other actors couldn't have done.
Recreating a real life story is a difficult task for many directors to undertake. I've discussed this in the past, where sometimes directors choose to lean too heavily into dramatization and attempt to add more context to a story that doesn't necessarily have it. In Fruitvale Station we have a story that is told truthfully and not overdone to add more time to the overall film. Coogler understands that a good story doesn't have to be a long one, and with Fruitvale Station being only 90 minutes long, I am happy to say that this is a film that truly fulfills its purpose and the direction that Coogler presents allows the film to make the most of the shortened run time.
With an excellent leading performance from Michael B. Jordan as Oscar Grant and great direction from Coogler, Fruitvale Station is a standout movie for a generation of people who need it. It's terrifying tale of a man being himself and being punished for doing so. Oscar Grant didn't deserve the fate he received, and this is a film that helps to remind the world of what happened, and try to persuade them to be better than their prejudices. For me, this is showcase for Jordan and Coogler as a pairing, and Fruitvale Station is successful because of it. This movie is important, and I believe everyone should take the time to see it!
Positives
Stellar performance by Jordan
Great direction from Coogler
Makes the most of shorter runtime
Negatives
Forgettable secondary cast
