Review of Fruitvale Station (2013) by Brandon B — 08 Feb 2014

"A powerful and moving true-life story featuring a triumphant performance from Michael B. Jordan".

DVD Movie Review: Fruitvale Station.

Date Viewed: January 20 2014.

Written and Directed By Ryan Coogler.

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Octavia Spencer, Ahna O'Reilly, Ariana Neal, Chad Michael Murray and Kevin Durand.

"Fruitvale Station" is a powerful and moving movie about the life and death of 22-year-old Oscar Grant III. On the early morning hours of January 1 2009, Oscar Grant was tragically shot to death by two BART police officers at Fruitvale's subway station. "Fruitvale Station" was written and directed by a hot newcomer named Ryan Coogler. "Fruitvale Station" is the best movie made by a first time filmmaker since John Singleton made "Boyz N The Hood" over 20 years ago. Grant's death shook the Bay Area and took the world by storm.

On the morning of December 31 2008, Oscar Grant III (Michael B. Jordan) wakes up and decides to get a head start on his New Year's resolutions, he wants to be a better son to his mother (Octavia Spencer, of "The Help") who is celebrating her birthday today, he wants to have a better relationship with his girlfriend Sophina (Melonie Diaz), who he hasn't been completely honest with and be a better father to his 4-year-old daughter, Tatiana (Ariana Neal). Despite losing his job at the grocery market, the day starts out well for him until he goes to Fruitvale Station.

When Oscar, Sophina and his friends go out and celebrate New Year's Eve on the subway, Oscar gets into a brief confrontation with a thug he met in prison. Oscar's friends break out the fight but suddenly Oscar gets taken into custody by two BART police officers (Kevin Durand and Chad Michael Murray). The officers fatally shoot Oscar in the chest and when he got to the hospital, he was pronounced dead.

Ryan Coogler's film is simply one of the best movies of 2013. Michael B. Jordan is absolutely wonderful as Oscar Grant III. "Fruitvale Station" also gives us flashback scenes where Oscar was doing jail time for drug dealing. His mother visits him in jail and despite the fact that she loves her son very much, she also grows wary on him by saying: "I can't do this anymore". Octavia Spencer knocks it out of the park as Oscar's mother and Melonie Diaz is great as Sophina.

2013 has been a great year for African-American cinema and "Fruitvale Station" is one of those exceptions. While I was watching "Fruitvale Station", I wasn't thinking about the Trayvon Martin case, I was watching the movie as a whole. Even though it's only 85 minutes long, "Fruitvale Station" is a great movie-going experience. I think that a major new director has arrived.