Fruitvale Station Review

Fruitvale Station

3.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Fruitvale Station is the most powerful and important film thus far in 2013. It's a small little indie that is an absolute knockout. It deserves all the praise that it's been receiving and then some. It will be a heavy contender at the 2014 Academy Awards, for sure, because it hits you in the gut and moves you in ways that are beyond comprehension. 

Based on the horrific true story in 2009, Fruitvale Station begins with tragic real-life footage of 22-year-old Oscar Grant at the Fruitvale Station train stop. Someone is using his or her cellphone to film the events that are taking place. A defenseless Oscar and some of his cronies are sitting against a half-wall. The cops are mistreating them. They are yelling at them, threatening them, and getting more violent with each second. Then, before we can fully process what is happening, a cop knocks down Oscar and shoots him in the back.

Cut to the day before the incident, December 31, 2008. Here is where the dramatized version of the events begin. We are introduced to the flawed yet relatable Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) and his girlfriend, Sophina (Melonie Diaz). The two youngsters are parents to an adorable little girl named Tatiana (Ariana Neal). We follow Oscar during the last 24 hours of his life and witness his transformation. Oscar has decided that enough is enough and that he needs to turn his life around. No longer is he going to cheat on his girlfriend. And he wants to put a stop to drug dealing, the job that previously landed him in jail. We see that Oscar is a good son to his mother, Wanda (Octavia Spencer), and wishes to throw her the best birthday party possible. In other words, December 31st is simply an ordinary day for Oscar. He goes about his regular routine and tries to live life in a more positive fashion. However, we as an audience know that things will inevitably lead towards tragedy.

Fruitvale Station is the first feature-length film from 26-year-old writer-director Ryan Coogler. What an extraordinary talent he is, and what a hell of a debut he has made. It is evident that this is a deeply personal and intimate film with which Coogler has a strong connection. It shows on the screen and in the script. Fruitvale Station is a very simple, stripped down, and natural film. Tripods were not used, thus resulting in semi-shaky camera work that enhances the realism and believability of the film. Fruitvale Station is also stripped of conventional Hollywood-sheen and cinematic glamour. This isn't a problem though because it allows us to focus all of our attention upon Oscar, his family, his friends, and his hometown of Oakland. Coogler isn't jumping out with pretentiousness. He isn't saying, "Ooh look how good of a director I am!" He simply tells a compelling and overwhelmingly powerful story about one incredible man's life-altering day.

One of Coogler's most interesting choices as a filmmaker was opening the film by showing us exactly how Oscar was killed and then cutting back to the day before. This was a brave cinematic choice, for this framing device can either make or break your film. However, it is pulled off rather brilliantly, for it allows the film to resonate with meaning and sadness. Because we know that Oscar is going to die in a couple of hours, an underlying sense of dread fills our hearts. It crushes our souls to know just how hard Oscar is trying to be an amazing father, boyfriend, and son, only to not get to fully live out the rest of his life. Oscar was headed down the right path, one that would transform his life for the better, and he never got to experience the life that he should have been able to.

Fruitvale Station is as moving and heartbreaking as it is because of its lead actor, Michael B. Jordan. Jordan gives an astounding, undeniably brilliant performance that will make him a true movie star. You won't believe how good he is. He makes Oscar an incredibly complex character. At times, he presents him as the greatest, most likable man on the planet. And we buy it. We want Oscar to be our best friend, and in fact, we probably see traces of Oscar in the people around us everyday. Other times, he's truly frightening, with his anger getting the best of him. Jordan shows each and every virtue and flaw of his character and plays them up to sensational effect. What a charismatic and commanding actor he is. He is in virtually every scene and owns each one. At the screening I attended, Jordan came to talk about the movie, and as soon as he entered the theater, everyone stood up on their feet. Many had tears in their eyes, and all gave him a standing ovation. Never before have I attended a screening at which people stood up and cheered with such tremendous applause. I imagine that he'll be a contender for best actor come Oscars 2014.

There are a couple of standout performances from the actresses as well. Octavia Spencer is outstanding as Oscar's mother. She has a few key scenes with Jordan -- most notably, the only flashback scene in the film which is set in Oscar's prison -- that will give you goosebumps. They are just that powerful. Melonie Diaz is a terrific newcomer who brings so much complexity to her character. And little Ariana Neal is phenomenal. She is equal to these extraordinary actors. The last shot of the film between Diaz and Neal is bound to have audiences sobbing.

Overall, Fruitvale Station is a necessary viewing, especially at a time like this. Actually, the film is all the more powerful because it is being released right around the time of the Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin incidents. Not only is this a masterful piece of cinema, but it is also a fascinating examination of racism, social justice, change, and human progress. The film delves into so many vital topics that Americans must examine and reflect upon for themselves. During the heart of summer, when so many mindless films are simply meant to entertain, out comes Fruitvale Station. This is a film that will enlighten you and change the way you think. It will sink into you and overwhelm you with its immense power. It's a film that can actually make us better people and cause us to be smarter, more tolerant human beings. We need more movies like this. Fruitvale Station is undoubtedly one of the years best films. Three and a half stars out of four.