A scratchy cell phone video captures a tragic yet familiar scene. Three young, African-American males are being detained on a subway platform. They angrily question why they are being detained. The patience of the cops runs thin and they begin to get physical with their detainees. The scene becomes a blur of shouting and confusion, and a gunshot from a cops gun rings out. Gasps and shock are heard as the screen cuts to black. This is the subject of Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station.
The film chronicles the 24 hours of Oscar Grant’s (Michael B. Jordan, The Wire, Chronicle) life before his tragic death. After making a few wrong turns in his life, Oscar strives to start fresh and make amends to his mom Wanda (Octavia Spencer, The Help, Paradise) and build a better life for his girlfriend Sophina (Melonie Diaz, Hamlet 2, Be Kind Rewind) and daughter Tatiana.
Despite being his directorial and screenwriting debut, Coogler shows the cinematic care and precision of a seasoned veteran. The film is brilliantly edited; every shot contributing to a tightly woven narrative, absent of any excessive indulgences. The end result is succinct, yet potent; letting every frame pull harder and harder on your strings of humanity. Most ingeniously, Coogler blows up the activity on Oscar’s phone, both adding topical layer of narrative and acting as a foreboding reminder of the importance cellular technology in capturing Oscar’s story.
The cast delivers a tremendous performance, building a strong communal spirit within the film. The chemistry between each character flows with warmth and passion, enforcing the depth of familial bonds. The cast manages to bring acting prowess to the roles of everyday people, making the performances all the more powerful.
Being the main subject of the film, Jordan’s performance as Oscar Grant is truly Oscar worthy. His apprehension of the future is countered by his fatherly devotion, giving his performance familiar quality. We can easily see Oscar being our neighbor, friend, or even father.
The movie’s release comes not a week after the controversial Trayvon Martin court decision, bridging the gap between Fruitvale station and Sanford, Florida, as well as movie and reality. We continue to see the persistence of a horrifying and disturbing narrative within the US: these stories become molded into a statistic, letting us neglect the real people behind these tragedies. Fruitvale Station grounds Oscar’s death in a celebration of his life; bringing him to life more than any dashed headline ever could.
Fruitvale Station is both a document of who Oscar was as well solemn vigil. The film is based off true events, so how much of the film was reconstructed, we will never know. The only immovable truth that matters is that Oscar Grant III is no longer with us. His potential and plans can never be realized as he was cut down in his prime at the young age of 22. The themes of community and family run deep through the film and that is how it ends.
The final images depict the city of Oakland mourning the loss one of their own; the community is scarred yet resolute their love for Oscar. Its final shot is of Oscar’s now teenage daughter. Her life is not a statistic. Her reality is that she will never will never forget the events New Years Day 2009, nor should any of we.
Pulp Diction 