First time movie makers sometimes make very sincere films, especially when dealing with the black experience - look at Singleton's
Boyz n the Hood and Spike Lee's early films like
Do the Right Thing. You can now officially add Ryan Coogler, the newcomer writer-director, to the list of black directors who made their first film about the black experience and captured it with such heart, ferocity and passion that it makes you go mmmmmh. Fruitvale Station is all that and a bag of chips ... let's dig in.
The film stars Michael B. Jordan, who's in
That Awkward Moment and the upcoming reboot of the
Fantastic Four ( yes, he's going to be the black Johnny Storm).
Jordan plays the real life Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old daddy who's trying to be on the straight and narrow with bills to pay, a girlfriend to man-up for and a lovely daughter who he completely adores but like Pac said: "It ain't easy!!".
Michael B.Jordan really aces the dead beat daddy who wants to be better. He shows something we don't see enough of on TV - a black father who is there for his child and baby mama and who really loves being a dad to his daughter.
There's a subtle and very powerful portrayal by Octavia Spencer, who some will remember for her Oscar winning performance as Minnie in
The Help. She plays Oscar's mom - she not only stars in the film but she is also the co-executive producer, along with Forest Whitaker.
Spencer did a lot to get the film on screen such as forfeiting her own salary and getting the author of The Help, Kathyrn Stockett, to put in some money into the project.
The other powerful turn by a lady in the film is by Melonie Diaz as Oscar's main squeeze Sophina. She pulls her own weight and, as the film concludes, she becomes the emotional heartbeat and reference for the audience.
Ryan Coogler does a great job of creating a film that is not too polished - the film has an indie feel which works well to resonate with the events of the film. It's based on a true story so the grittyness works well for the subject matter.
I watched the film not knowing the story of Oscar Grant and the film had a massive effect on me for a while. I'm glad that I didn't know much too because it made what I saw more so powerful. To see more evidence that black, young men - whether they be in Gauteng, Marikana or New York - face similar challenges due to issues around stereotypes of race, gender and the police mmmh.
Ryan Coogler creates a film that does not preach but shows you what's wrong with society. Yet also shows the power of an individual's own agency and the ramifications of the choices individuals make.
This is a perfect companion piece to
12 Years a Slave. Like Solomon, you may be free but there are many Lupita's still stuck on them plantation farms, even in this here day and age. Don't forget your tissues man ... i know tigers don't cry but we all know you not a tiger right.
Rating ******junk **almost bearable ***now we cooking ****almost perfect *****classic ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++