Fruitvale Station

Name: Fruitvale Station
Genre: Biography, Drama
Released: July 12, 2013
Duration: 85 min
Rating: 85
Cast: Ahna O'Reilly, Ariana Neal, Chad Michael Murray, Kevin Durand, Melonie Diaz

2013

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 46 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 281 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	Your Score
7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 281 Ratings

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Fruitvale Station

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Movie Details & Credits

Weinstein Company, The | Release Date: July 12, 2013 | R

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

Summary: The true story of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.

Director: Ryan Coogler

Genre(s): Biography, Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 85 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Joe Morgenstern

Jul 11, 2013

At the age of 27 Mr. Coogler seems to have it all, and have it firmly in place a clearsighted take on his subject (no airbrushing of flaws or foibles here, just confident brush strokes by a mature artist); a spare, spontaneous style that can go beyond naturalism into a state of poetic grace, and a gift for getting, or allowing, superb actors to give flawless performances. Read full review

100

Steven Rea

Jul 18, 2013

It shows us the everyday pressures and problems, the joys and pleasures, experienced by someone moving through life. And then that BART train pulls into Fruitvale, and the rest is history. Read full review

100

Mike Scott

Jul 26, 2013

Fruitvale Station is only the first in a string of civil-rights minded movies set to hit theaters this year -- contributing to what could be the most racially conscious award season in recent memory. Read full review

Peter Travers

Jul 11, 2013

Fruitvale Station is a gut punch of a movie. By standing in solidarity with Oscar, it becomes an unstoppable cinematic force. Read full review

Empire Simon Braund

Jun 2, 2014

A deeply moving drama played out on the small stage of ordinary people’s lives. An unforgettable performance from Jordan invests Grant with real humanity, while Coogler’s unvarnished script and sure-handed direction propel the film to its inevitable, terrible conclusion. Read full review

Rene Rodriguez

Jul 25, 2013

Coogler occasionally overplays his hand: The scene in which Oscar says goodbye to his daughter for what we know will be the last time is prolonged to the point of overkill. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Jul 11, 2013

Coogler isn’t exactly an invisible hand. He pokes and prods his audience at every turn: Neither the false moments nor the powerful ones leave much mystery about how we’re supposed to feel. Read full review

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User Reviews

wperez05

Jul 12, 2013

An emotionally draining experience that left the audience in silent, but in a good way. One of the best movies I've seen this year. Ryan Coogler has a true gift in making the audience invest in a character. Michael B. Jordan does a great job. Highly recommend.

9 of 16 users found this helpful97

charliebury

Mar 21, 2014

Sincerely powerful, it reminded me of John Singleton’s Boyz N The Hood. These films are both earnest, striking and magnificent directorial debuts. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station is highly ambitious, it is for the hardened hearts and Coogler has articulated his deep-rootedSincerely powerful, it reminded me of John Singleton’s Boyz N The Hood. These films are both earnest, striking and magnificent directorial debuts. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station is highly ambitious, it is for the hardened hearts and Coogler has articulated his deep-rooted connection with the story flawlessly. The film is based on the real-life tragic shooting that happened at Fruitvale Station on the New Year’s Eve of 2009. This irrefutable piece of reality haunts the film and makes it duly hard to watch. Yet, you are transfixed.

Oscar Grant, a 22 year-old man with lots of feelings, cares for many people and many people care for him. We spend New Years Eve with Oscar as he goes about his daily routine, struggling and searching over the various obstacles that many working-class people face. This is the side of the story that Coogler has decided to tell. SPOLIER. It is the day leading up to the death of young Oscar Grant.

We sample Oscar’s daily life; we get caught up in his agitated world. Michael B. Jordan gives a brilliant performance as Oscar, and understands the prejudice history that exists within the borders of the Bay Hill area. Nonetheless he gets on with daily life and is determined to make a difference. He doesn’t necessarily care about what others think of him, he has the “don’t give a **** attitude”, but this doesn’t make him a thug. It is the territory of young and black cinema, as was the term coined for the work of Spike Lee. It is promising that Coogler will have more heartfelt stories to tell that will contribute the past thirty years call for social justice in media, popular culture and sadly life.

Oscar is clearly troubled but events in his life. He wishes to share his inner burdens with others, he has a lot of close mates, but it is his girlfriend (Melonie Diaz) and mother (Octavia Spencer) who come through as most compassionate. Despite past hiccups, the family gets together and celebrates New Year’s Eve without controversy and with great empathy, as it is also Oscar’s mother’s birthday. The family is “lifted up” by God, as spoken by the radiant mother. It is soul-destroying when she blames the tragedy on herself. She only wanted her “baby” to do what would seemingly be safest: catching the BART train to town, rather than drink driving.

The cinematography is closing in, the train is entering Fruitvale Station, and my heart is already pounding. The scenes in which the incident takes place are harrowing and expertly crafted. It is mayhem and for no alleged reason; this is the lunacy of the incident. I’ve never quite felt so strung and wounded by the cinema.

This film deserves mass attention and should be honored for its courage.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MrsMovieLover

Nov 5, 2017

I absolutely LOVED this movie. Brilliant acting. Made me cry at the end and I just couldn't stop crying. Made me feel anger. Made me feel love. Made feel sad. Heart touching film. 9/10.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Spangle

Dec 26, 2014

Emotionally powerful and stirring, Fruitvale Station is a very timely film that has many positives. For one, the acting. Michael B. Jordan is set to become a star, honestly. He is phenomenal in this film, as are Melonie Diaz and Octavia Spencer, but Jordan is a powerhouse here. In addition,Emotionally powerful and stirring, Fruitvale Station is a very timely film that has many positives. For one, the acting. Michael B. Jordan is set to become a star, honestly. He is phenomenal in this film, as are Melonie Diaz and Octavia Spencer, but Jordan is a powerhouse here. In addition, the direction by Ryan Coogler is great. I also love the way the story was told. It was not all one sided that painted Oscar Grant as an angel. It certainly paints a positive picture of him, but it largely displays him as a flawed man with a bad past. I am sure Coogler left some stuff out, but regardless, it is hard to see a justification for the shooting, especially with the existence of video of the incident itself. Thus, Coogler does not have to do much to garner sympathy for him, so it is impossible to argue that he tried to manipulate the viewer's emotions at all. Ultimately, Fruitvale Station soars on the back of fantastic acting and an emotional story that will leave you on the brink of tears.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Jul 30, 2013

This film (based on a real incident) follows Oscar Grant on the last day of his life. He spends time with his friends and family, then takes the train into San Francisco to celebrate NYE. Michael B. Jordan creates a complex character, one who was raised right and is basically good, butThis film (based on a real incident) follows Oscar Grant on the last day of his life. He spends time with his friends and family, then takes the train into San Francisco to celebrate NYE. Michael B. Jordan creates a complex character, one who was raised right and is basically good, but struggling with challenges. The rest of the cast also convincingly inhabits their roles (esp. Octavia Spencer as the mother). At first, this personal portrait seems to wander aimlessly, but once the deadly incident happens, it takes a grippingly dramatic turn. With a moment of violent prejudice at the crux of the film, new director Ryan Coogler never revels in outrage. Nothing's overplayed. It effectively sets up the man and his life, then powerfully crashes it down.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

MattG_123

Jan 1, 2014

Fruitvale Station is indeed a sad film, and an important one, in the parts that matter. I just don't understand why the whole day was shown, I guess all they wanted to prove is that he was a good person? I'm not sure, but I still found it an interesting and emotional movie, for some.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

warrenworld

May 3, 2014

It tells a very moving story about the last hours of a living man in an attempt to reach a wide audience. It's a shame it had to pass up the ethical approach for a cliched template that fails to defend the victim for these actions.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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19	#19 Best Movie of 2013
92	#92 Most Discussed Movie of 2013
87	#87 Most Shared Movie of 2013