The Movie Diorama
Phwoarrr that hit me and then some! What an unexpected treat this was. An extremely rare impactful drama that feels utterly necessary in addressing the ongoing issue of firearm usage in America. Depicting the true story of 22 year old Oscar whom is caught in a situation involving the police at Fruitvale Station during New Year's Day. The inevitable conclusion is not what makes this drama so tantalisingly electric, it's the portrayal of Oscar's family and himself that allows us to become invested on an emotional level. Conveying a family man who is determined to be the best father, son and boyfriend that he could possibly be. Garnering respect amongst the community, he becomes an established proud individual who assists his friends and himself, thus making him relatable. A runtime of just 82 minutes, the focus and patience that is put into portraying Oscar was paramount, particularly given the melancholic conclusion. Ryan Coogler is consistently pushing the camera up close and personal to the actors, enhancing the intimacy between us and the characters. A tangible link where he is able to make us feel every emotion. I can't quite express how difficult that is to illustrate in a film. The fact this is his directorial debut stuns me even more, a talent that Hollywood will be watching for quite some time. Michael B Jordan was outstanding, this is his best role by far. Nuanced yet powerful, expressive yet emotionless, he was an enigmatic revelation. Spencer and Diaz also gave excellent supporting roles, particularly towards the end. I just wished it was longer, to flesh out Oscar's character even further. But, there isn't a more thematically relevant drama than this right now. As soon as the credits rolled, a cluster-bomb of emotions rushed to my heart and soul. I was livid, sad, shaken and full of remorse. Such a tragedy that could've easily been a melodramatic bore, but instead is a formidable powerhouse drama that showcases exceptional talent on and off screen.
K James
For the entire time you're watching, this movie feels real. That's both the allure and the anxiety focal point. Every step of the way, I could feel the final blow coming, I could feel the anxiety building in my heartbeat and the tension mounting in my shoulders. When they arrived at the train station in reference, I held my breath. I knew what was coming, but no amount of anticipation made me ready.Michael B. Jordan excels as an actor in this role. As for the actual script content, I have no commentary. This movie is more of a memorial than a script, and Ryan Coogler is an amazing director finally coming into his own with the recent release of Black Panther. His directorial skills shine in Fruitvale as well.
SquigglyCrunch
Fruitvale Station is a biography about a man who was shot and killed by a police officer at a train station. The story caused a lot of commotion and ultimately Ryan Coogler made a about it. This was his first movie, and while it's better than the only other movie of his that I've seen, it still isn't very good.Fruitvale Station's plot really isn't anything special. I would go as far as to say that there really isn't even one. It's just this man's life leading up to his death. While I like movies about people living life, this one felt stretched way too thin, and it barely pulled off its 85 minute run time. This movie's primary focus is the character development. It tries to make you care about the main character before his untimely demise, but it's so slow and boring that I just didn't really care. We basically learned that this guy is the most average person in the world, which I understand the message behind that but it just took way too long to get to the point where his character development actually mattered. We got to see him doing the most menial of tasks, like filling his car up with gas, dropping his daughter off at school, picking her up from school, and way too much of the same shot of him driving. It really just wasn't that interesting to watch someone live without any unique or interesting twist on it. It just becomes boring at that point. Overall Fruitvale Station really just isn't anything special. How it was so well received is beyond me. While the last 20-30 minutes were enjoyable enough, the first hour is just so drawn out and boring. While it does pay off for the most part and portray a certain message that is important, it's just not paced well enough to be interesting. In the end I wouldn't recommend this movie. Unless you love movies about the most boring, normal people in the world, then you won't find much in this movie.
naresh-gharat
IMDb description of this title,"The story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008"If you are going to watch this movie after reading this description, believing that this movie is gonna be like some drama, suspense or thriller like that...please don't watch it.The movie is much about characters personal life rather than actual incident & this is what makes me disappoint. Direction was good, at many places it touches to reality. But apart from that i don't know what director was trying to focus..is it character or is it incident ??
AD
