Mickster Movie Review - "Fruitvale Station" (2013) ****

     Fruitvale Station is based on the real life murder of 22-year old Oscar Grant III, who was shot on New Year's evening in 2009. The film depicts the events of December 31, 2008, the last full day that Oscar would live, before being shot by BART train cops in Oakland after he is detained following a fight on the train. The incident was captured on several cell phone videos and shows Oscar on the ground and being secured, when for no apparent reason, one of the officers pulls his gun and fires a shot into Oscar's back. The officer would later testify that the thought he was pulling his taser gun and was shocked that he fired his pistol. The officer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and served less than a year in prison. The judgment set off riots in the Oakland area following the verdict.

     Michael B. Jordan, who was brilliant in the tv show "Friday Night Lights", stars as Oscar and carries the film on his shoulders. His portrayal of Oscar is one of the acting highlights of the year and should have earned him more attention at awards time. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Octavia Spencer plays Oscar's mother, who's birthday was on New Year's Eve, and is a pivotal part of Oscar's development throughout the film. Director Ryan Coogler shows that Oscar is no model citizen, he served time for dealing drugs, but that he was perhaps trying to turn his life around before the unfortunate events occurred that ended his life. He was improving his relationship with his mother and also his girlfriend, Sophina (Melonie Diaz). He had a 4 year old daughter, Tatiana (Ariana Neal), who he appeared to love very much and was trying to be an active participant in her life. It's his relationship with Tatiana that is the most heartbreaking moment to me and the last line of the film is just crushing.

     Fruitvale Station is not a perfect movie, but is solid all around. It is under an hour and a half long, and moves at a brisk pace. The movie tries not to be obvious in its judgments, it does a good job of presenting its version of the facts. The officer's version of the events obviously portrays the situation as a little more chaotic with Oscar and his friends posing a real threat to them. It's hard to know the exact truth without being there. It does appear that a young man was shot though who was not an immediate risk to the officer as he was on the ground face first with his hands restrained behind him. It's just a sad situation. I give the film a high recommendation, if for no other reason than Jordan's performance as Oscar.

Mickster