Based on the true story of the Bay Area shooting of Oscar Grant III on New Year’s Eve; we have the Fruitvale Station review after the jump.
It was the story that rocked a whole nation, the shooting of an unarmed man in the early hours of New Year’s in 2009 caused riots as the public declared justice for Oscar Grant III. Fruitvale Station has already picked up numerous awards and it’s not hard to see why.
It’s raw, it’s sad and it’s pretty much essential.
Oscar (Michael B. Jordan) is struggling in life. He has just lost his job in a supermarket, he is trying to keep his relationship with his girlfriend alive after straying away, he is trying to be a good father and son and lastly, he is trying to live his life away from breaking the law, especially since he has spent time in prison in the past.
Fruitvale Station follows Oscar on his last day on Earth, albeit talking to friends, taking his daughter to day care and seeing his mother on her birthday. It then moves on to the key part – going out to celebrate the New Year with his girlfriend and friends.
So not to make the viewer bored during these everyday scenes –helping a woman with her shopping list for example – the film purposely starts with real footage of his shooting as captured by a spectator. In doing so, the audience are sucked in as they wait for what’s coming.
Michael B. Jordan does an exceptional job in the role of Oscar. He is so likeable, that we really root for him, even though we know how the story ends.
Overall Thoughts:
Fruitvale Station is a hard-hitting character study worthy of everyone’s time. It’s raw, it’s sad and it’s pretty much essential.