Monday, April 2, 2018

Fruitvale Station by Latrese

Image result for fruitvale station
Dir. Ryan Coogler

Starring: Michael B. Jordan (Oscar Grant), Melonie Diaz (Sophina), Octavia Spencer (Wanda)

Prod: OG Project, Forest Whitaker's Significant Productions
Distributor: The Weinstein Company, 2009

You never know what tomorrow brings and all you have to do is hope for the best. A movie based on a true story that could bring tears to your eyes. Oscar Grant was a young, African American man who was just trying to make it. He had a young daughter named Tatiana and a girlfriend named Sophina. Sophina only wanted the best for Oscar, especially for him to get a job since he lost the one he had. Oscar was in and out of jail throughout his life for selling drugs and once he was released, he wanted to start fresh. The movie shows flash backs of his time spent in jail. One scene showed his mother Wanda coming to visit him, she hated the fact that her son was locked up. Later on in that scene, his mother expresses that she wasn’t going to keep visiting him. She wanted her son to get his life together especially because of his young daughter. 

As the film went on, Oscar and his family attend a birthday party for Oscar’s mother. During the party, everyone is having a good time. You could tell that this is what his mother wanted. For her family to be together. Later on Oscar decides to go to San Franciso with his friends to attend New Year’s Party. His mother tells him to take the train to avoid driving. It was New Years day going back home, and on the BART train a big fight breaks out with Oscar and another former inmate. Police are called and the people involved in the fight were arrested. Police brutality has been a big issue for many years. While being arrested with his friends he tries to explain to the police the situation but the police start to physically abuse him. Many people on the train witnessed this and recorded every moment of this tragic moment. An officer turned Oscar on his back and had his knee lodged into his back. Oscar couldn’t breathe and there was multiple people screaming to tell him to get off. Then BOOM ! Oscar was shot in his back. 

This whole tragedy was recorded and it shows the innocence of Oscar Grant. This film showed the true colors of the abuse that police officers cause. Grant was trying to change his life around for the better, especially for his daughter. Sophina, his girlfriend stuck by his side after all he went through during his life. Seeing this movie really. was an eye opener to me, it showed the struggle of being a black person in this world. Not only with the police but financially and socially. I think this film should have been a little bit longer, It was quick but I enjoyed it. This film should bring a light to not only the struggle black people experience but the police brutality. When will it stop ? The fact that it was caught on film makes it even worse, you could visually see it and still today there is no justice. 


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