Fruitvale Station is coming out at a time where it is extremely relevant in society today with the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case. Oscar Grant’s personal Shakespearean arc shares some similarities to that case. Even though the movie leaves some studies of societal ills towards former incarcerated people on the table, Fruitvale Station is a powerful study of a man trying to make his life work and through a series of bad decisions and bad luck, his personal journey is cut short.
After a jarring phone video captured in the heat of the moment that 2009 New Year’s Day in San Francisco, we are transported to 1 day earlier in Oakland where Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) is spending the night in bed with his girlfriend Sophina (Melonie Diaz) and daughter Tatiana (Ariana Neal). From there, we go about the day-to-day activities that Oscar goes through, like dropping kids off at school, trying to get rehired, drug opportunities, and celebrating his mom’s (Octavia Spencer) birthday, which is on New Year’s Eve. Oscar and Sophina catch the train to see the fireworks in San Francisco, but on their way back, Oscar gets into an altercation on the train and is forced off by the Bay Transit Police. Videos from the “interrogation” show how poorly the cops handle the situation that leads to Oscar being shot and killed, which caused lots of race related riots in California.
Part of me wishes more were done with the study of a poor black man who is trying to make up for his past indiscretions and how society is too cruel to forgive him. Maybe scenes with indifferent parole officers or filling out a job application that doesn’t hire jailed people just to more completely paint Oscar’s picture could have elevated Fruitvale Station to another level. As is, hints of broken parts of the system are present, but kept simmering in the background of most of the film.
Fruitvale Station is compelling because of how real the movie Oscar Grant is. He operates in the gray area. He deals drugs because he can’t hold a good job because he was late for work dropping his kid off at school. When challenged, he pushes back if he feels too pressed upon, but when someone is in need, he finds a way to lend a hand. Just when the movie gets a little strained showing how good Oscar can be, the next scene usually brings him back to Earth. This version of 50 shades of gray (without the S&M) keeps Fruitvale Station compelling without knowing Oscar’s eventual fate.
Much of Fruitvale Station’s success is due to the star-making performance that Michael B. Jordan gives. Jordan effortlessly walks in Oscar Grant’s shoes, going from humiliated to violent back to scared and humble (sometimes in the same scene). Jordan walks with the confidence of actors much older than he and could be getting some serious Oscar buzz. Also in the Oscar’s sights should be both women: Melonie Diaz plays Oscar’s girlfriend as the right mix of loving but skeptical. Oscar has clearly broken her heart before, and she’s not ready to fully trust him yet. Octavia Spencer, 2011’s Best Supporting Actress winner, turns in another strong performance as Oscar’s mother with an equal mix of wisdom and worry.
Make sure you stay before the end credits roll. The fates’ of the police officers should make your blood boil if you have a heart of some kind. Fruitvale Station could stand as a beacon for more social justice. At its worst, it is a fascinating study of a man trapped by a combination of himself and his society. Get ready to hear the name Michael Jordan become as synonymous in acting as it is in basketball very soon.