Completely ignoring thefilm’s brilliance in terms of classic cinematography criteria, it in itself is an incredible accomplishment. I am not one to cry,but this movie had me balling several times even before its conclusion. The film is strung together with anunderlying tone of this impending, unavoidable heartbreak. The audience is not allowed to imagine any other ending we must sit in our chairsand watch in anger and horror about the inevitable tragedy. ![]() The suspense is replaced with utterhelplessness. The opening sequence is the raw footage of theshooting, immediately eliminating any possible suspense. If I had to sum up my feelings about Fruitvale Station in one sentence: it is the greatestmovie that I never want to watch again. I have assigned a team of lawyers to look back into the circumstances that caused. The movie’s main goal is to force us to remember that no matter what happens in those ninety minutes, it is going to end upwith a man lying face down with a bullet in his back. Grant was fatally shot January 1, 2009, while lying face down on a platform at the Fruitvale Station in Oakland. To be obsessed with whether the real-life Oscar Grantresembled at all the man that is presented in the film or whether those were the exact events ofhis last day would be to misunderstand Coogler’s intent. Coogler pays ultimate respect to the man Oscar Grant III, mirroring humanity withits complexities and contradictions. However, Coogler chooses to focus on the little day to day things: pickingup his daughter, driving over to his mother’s house and heading out to the city to party withfriends. This film could haveeasily been about the consequent trial and prosecution or even just a real time film of the eventson the subway. But to focus on that would be to miss Coogler’s objective. Of course there are some flaws with this movie: some heavy handed scenes and blatantforeshadowing feature as well. Jordan nails the charismatic smile, creating a likable, butcomplicated Oscar Grant. Although it may be a lofty juxtaposition, I believe that Jordan compares to Denzel Washingtonwith his ability to transition from the gentle father playing with his daughter to the severe andserious moments on the subway. In contrast, his relationship withhis daughter may be the sweetest and most heartwarming parent-child performance submittedin years. Grant is in no way deified in the movie - we see all the angles of him from himcheating on his wife to him losing his job and dealing drugs. Jordan does not hold back inhis portrayal of Grant he pulls out all the stops on this one. Some people may recognizeJordan from his extensive TV resume, notably as Wallace on The Wire and most Coach Taylorfans will remember him as Vince of Friday Night Lights fame. There must besomething in the name, because this man is destined for stardom. ![]() He presents a film constructed in objective melancholy rather than blindanger.Īt the heart of Fruitvale Station is the performance from Michael B. News and mediacoverage turned Oscar Grant into a symbol, Coogler is able to take deconstruct the symbol andflesh out the man. Oscar’s life and tragic death would shake the Bay Area – and the entire nation – to its very core.While Ryan Coogler’smasterful directorial and writing debut does not shy away from such issues, to watch this filmexpecting just social commentary upon social commentary would be a mistake. His resolve takes a tragic turn, however, when BART officers shoot him in cold blood at the Fruitvale subway stop on New Year’s Day. Crossing paths with friends, family, and strangers, Oscar starts out well, but as the day goes on, he realizes that change is not going to come easily. ![]() Not sure what it is, he takes it as a sign to get a head start on his resolutions: being a better son to his mother (Octavia Spencer), whose birthday falls on New Year’s Eve, being a better partner to his girlfriend Sophina (Melonie Diaz), who he hasn’t been completely honest with as of late, and being a better father to Tatiana (Ariana Neal), their beautiful four year-old daughter. Jordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who wakes up on the morning of Decemand feels something in the air. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, director Ryan Coogler’s FRUITVALE STATION follows the true story of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic feature and the Audience Award for U.S.
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