Fruitvale Station           

Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station is a heart wrenching film based on the true story of Oscar Grant. The film takes its audience through Grant's last day of life before he is irrationally murdered by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) police at the "Fruitvale Station" in Oakland, California.

 Due to the known history of Grant, the audience fully relies on the film's depth to portray a man whose fate is already known. This puts an immense amount of pressure on Coogler to interpret this man's character, and his last few hours, correctly. I would only recommend this film to an individual who truly appreciates symbolism within a film. Coogler beautifully depicts Grant's loving, caring, and protective personality through symbolism. Grant's experience with a stray dog and his young daughter are prime examples of his compassionate heart and devotion to his family. Although Grant is far from perfect, one can only love him as his troubles unravel. Coogler also uses flashbacks to tell Grant's story. This method gives the audience background information that is useful when analyzing Grant's anger issues and complex history.  

 Michael B. Jordan's performance in this film is absolutely spectacular. His raw acting illustrates Oscar Grant's character to the last detail. Without a top notch performance of Grant's character, the film would not have come together so brilliantly. The meticulous work that was put into Fruitvale Station makes the film worthwhile. The fierce acting and complex cinematography successfully gives Oscar Grant the tribute that he deserves.