Writer/Director: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer and Kevin Durand
‘A Meaningful Masterpiece’
Not many actresses have made movies which audiences treasure like Octavia Spencer. Ever since her rise to recognition during the 1990’s, Spencer has made powerful movies. Whether it’s frustrated mothers, helpful housekeepers or NASA mathematicians, Spencer has played many strong characters. Arguably, Spencer’s finest strength as an actress has always been her strong commitment to her craft. She is one of those rare actresses that has often poured her heart and soul into every role. Spencer has never been afraid taking risks in her career by playing complex characters which aren’t often likeable. Through her willingness to take risks in her career, Spencer has become an actress that audiences value. An actress with powerful commitment to her craft, Spencer has become a beloved icon in entertainment. Throughout a prosperous career, Spencer has made several memorable movies which are definitely worth taking about.
I’m a huge fan of Spencer and admire all the movies she has made in her career. However, “Fruitvale Station” is my favourite. Released in 2013, Ryan Coogler’s movie offered a powerful tribute towards a real-life victim of frightening police brutality. Packed with bold production-design, engaging storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s one of the best movies ever made about racial injustice. At the centre of it all is an extraordinary performance from Octavia Spencer, who portrays the conflicted mother of a son facing police brutality. Ultimately, what makes “Fruitvale Station” a masterpiece is its universal appeal. Viewers aren’t required to be familiar with the true story of Oscar Grant to appreciate it. It delivers a meaningful message about dangers of racial injustice which would resonate with everyone. A riveting masterpiece about police brutality, there are many reasons why “Fruitvale Station” is a commemorated movie that is worth seeing.
Set in California, “Fruitvale Station” tells the true story of a man that faced police brutality causing trauma. Michael B. Jordan portrays Oscar Grant, a young African-American man living in a poor neighbourhood. Oscar has big dreams of achieving a career. Assisted by his supportive mother Wanda (Octavia Spencer), Oscar embarks on a journey to find success in his city. However, Oscar’s dreams are forever destroyed when he becomes a victim of police brutality causing disaster. Faced with a painful dilemma, Oscar begins to question his place in America. As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Oscar begins to wonder whether if it’s possible for him to secure a bright future. Discovering the harsh reality of police brutality, Oscar questions his faith in the unjust system of a country that’s destined to experience grim catastrophe.
Ryan Coogler is a newcomer towards themes capturing police brutality. Before he directed “Fruitvale Station”, Coogler had never made a movie about black men facing racial tensions. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the real-life story of a man that became tragic victim of catastrophic police brutality, but he succeeded tremendously. Using spellbinding cinematography, Coogler captures the life of a black man in the days leading up toward police brutality. Inspired by Antoine Fuqua’s “Training Day”, Coogler expertly uses handheld visuals to capture tensions faced by people enduring police brutality. For instance, handheld visuals elevate the train fight scene. During this tense scene, Oscar gets into a fight with passengers that are racist on a train. Through shaky cam, Coogler captures hardships that black men in tense situations go through. Handheld visuals are complex techniques. As Theodore Melfi’s “Hidden Figures” suggested, handheld visuals elebayes movies about NASA engineers. That being said, it works immensely in this movie. Through spellbinding visuals, Coogler captures tensions that black men facing police brutality are experiencing.
Another strong aspect of “Fruitvale Station” that deserves appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, the movie is extremely well-made. Coogler expertly uses sound design to capture the lives of African-American men that decline. Throughout the movie, Coogler uses diegetic sound to convey hardships that black men experiencing police brutality go through. For instance, the diegetic sound elevates the police harassment scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Oscar gets humiliated by police in the train station being a victim of police brutality. Whether it’s sounds of deafening gunshots or police sirens which are wailing, Coogler uses sound design which captures tensions black men are experiencing. Moreover, the musical score is extraordinary. Ludwig Goransson’s score is essential to the success of the movie. It gives the film a tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that victims of police brutality bear. Through bold production design, Coogler captures the lives of African-American men which endure police brutality facing a decline.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Fruitvale Station” is a film based on real events that’s compelling. The film extremely well-written, and effectively uses silence to capture the lives of black men impacted by police violence. Inspired by Robert Mulligan’s “To Kill a Movkingbird”, Coogler successfully uses silence to capture the impact of police brutality on black men that face tragedy. For instance, silence elevates the murder scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Oscar is shot by police in a train station leaving passengers stunned in silence. Silence is a tricky technique to use in most films. Guillermo Del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” suggested silence enhances fantasy movies capturing mute women. Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” proved silence is suited to films about The Holocaust. However, it works immensely in this movie. Through an extraordinary screenplay, Coogler captures the lives of African-American men facing a painful price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Michael B. Jordan delivers one of his finest performances as Oscar Grant. Jordan first achieved appreciation for playing boxers with bold creed in sports dramas. With “Fruitvale Station”, however, he took on his most tricky role. It isn’t easy to portray a man that faces police brutality, but he succeeds immensely. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most memorable role. With mesmerizing expressions, he captures the angst, grief and depression of a black man that becomes sad victim of police brutality. It’s an extraordinary performance from one of the finest actors working today.
Octavia Spencer is outstanding as a mother that witnesses her son become a victim of police brutality disaster. Spencer has always thrived at playing emotional women facing stress, and “Fruitvale Station” showcased her strengths as an actress. It’s a role that gave the actress a rare chance to showcase emotional range she hadn’t shown before in her career. Whether she is giving Oscar advice on how to live his life or being infuriated by police brutality disaster, Spencer uses her strong body language to capture the life of a mother that’s compelling. It’s a terrific performance from one of the most celebrated actresses in the film industry today.
Finally, “Fruitvale Station” will earn everyone’s appreciation for capturing the lives of African American men enduring tension. Unlike most commemorated movies about racism, it tackles strong themes everyone will relate to. It discusses universal themes including identity, grief and racism which would resonate with everyone. Viewers don’t need to be familiar with police brutality in America to appreciate it. It delivers a meaningful message about racial injustice which would definitely resonate with everyone. Therefore, “Fruitvale Station” is one of those rare commemorated movies about racial injustice which everyone will adore.
Fans of Octavia Spencer will definitely enjoy “Fruitvale Station” and so will movie-goers seeking heartfelt entertainment. An engaging drama about racism, it honours an actress that has achieved stardom.
Nearly 20 years after an African-American man seeking to celebrate New Years with friends was shot to death in Fruitvale Station, it’s a riveting reminder about a commemorated actress with strong dedication towards her craft that has made unforgettable movies which are definitely without a single doubt worthy of celebration.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 