Over the last few months, I've read a number of reviews and articles about Fruitvale Station. Almost all of them, I think, miss the point.
The movie tells the true story of Oscar Grant (played by Micheal B. Jordan), a young African American man who was senselessly shot and killed by police on New Year's Eve 2009. From that description alone, you're likely to conclude that this is a movie about race -- or, more pointedly, about racism -- in America. That's certainly what a lot of commentators and critics have inferred from the movie, many of them arguing, for example, that the story gained more resonance after the shooting of Trayvon Martin.
But, I don't think that's what this movie is about. At least, it's not what I got from it.
Instead, I believe Fruitvale Station is a movie about the interconnectedness of all people and the value of a single human life. And, while the movie is certainly race-conscious, I don't think the story it's trying to tell is race-centric. I suppose you could say that it's like the movie Crash, but with about 100 times more grace and subtlety.
While Oscar Grant's story is most noteworthy for the circumstances surrounding his death, the movie opts to tell the story of his life. In the end, it is the life he led that made his death such a tragedy. In watching Oscar go through his last day, we learn about the people in his life -- his girlfriend, his daughter, his friends, and, of course, his mother (played by Octavia Spencer) -- and the impact he had on them. We see him interact with perfect strangers, offering assistance and conversation to random people that he meets. And, we see him try to save a dog after its been hit by a car.
Oscar's not a saint. He's done time in prison for selling drugs. And, though it landed him in jail, he considers going back to that life after he loses his job at a grocery store. He's cheated on his girlfriend. He makes promises to his mother that he doesn't deliver on. The movie goes to great lengths to show that Oscar isn't perfect, but that doesn't make him any less deserving of basic human respect and dignity. Moreover, as the movie shows us, it doesn't mean that he can't influence the lives of others for good.
All of this builds toward a climax on a metro station platform and the fateful encounter with the police. But, in my opinion, it's the moment right before that that brings the movie home. Oscar and his friends are trapped on a train with dozens of other people, missing the New Years' Eve celebration. At that moment, people from different races and backgrounds all join together to celebrate the moment, demonstrating one last time how everyone, despite their differences, is connected to everyone else.
Sure, it's a little corny. And, maybe it's overreaching. But, it works.
When Oscar finally does have his run-in the with the police, the movie takes great care not to get inside the mind of the cop who shoots Oscar. We never learn his motivation. In fact, he's barely on screen for more than a few seconds. At first I thought this was a flaw in the story-telling. But, after a while, I realized it was essential. The mindset of the police officer isn't important. That's not the story the movie is telling.
In my view, that is why the Trayvon Martin comparisons are so misleading. Everyone's view of the Trayvon Martin story is determined, in large part, by what they think George Zimmerman's intentions were. In Fruitvale Station, the intentions of the shooter are irrelevant. Oscar Grant's death is a tragedy, not because a policeman may have been racist -- once again, we don't know -- but because of the life he was trying to live and the people he touched.
I don't know, maybe it's me who's wrong. But, that's how I saw it.
The movie works in large part because of the performance of Michael B. Jordan. He is, to put it simply, a force to be reckoned with. Many people saw him on TV shows like "The Wire" and "Friday Night Lights," where he was very good. But, this is all new territory for him. He is in every scene, almost every shot, and he holds your attention every step of the way. It is one of the best performances by an actor in 2013.
The movie was written and directed by Ryan Coogler. This is his first feature. And, while it's a little rough around the edges -- like first movies often are -- the film shows great restraint. He never goes over the top, though it would have been easy to do so. And, rather than overreaching on the overall message, the movie always stays grounded in the reality of Oscar Grant's life. It's a sight to behold.
I loved this movie. It's powerful. It's unique. It's one that you won't soon forget.
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