Fruitvale Station

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Fruitvale Station

R

Released Jul 26, 2013

1h 25m

Biography

Drama

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Popcornmeter

94%

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212 Reviews

87%

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25,000+ Ratings

Though he once spent time in San Quentin, 22-year-old black man Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) is now trying hard to live a clean life and support his girlfriend (Melonie Diaz) and young daughter (Ariana Neal). Flashbacks reveal the last day in Oscar's life, in which he accompanied his family and friends to San Francisco to watch fireworks on New Year's Eve, and, on the way back home, became swept up in an altercation with police that ended in tragedy. Based on a true story.

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Critics Consensus

Passionate and powerfully acted, Fruitvale Station serves as a celebration of life, a condemnation of death, and a triumph for star Michael B. Jordan.

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Fikri

Autostraddle

First-time director Ryan Coogler chose to tell Grant's story as a narrative instead of a documentary to centre his voice and his life, in the process raising important questions about police brutality and the value of black lives.

Jul 13, 2021

Full Review

Jenna Marotta

IndieWire

Fruitvale Station offers no social remedies, but by recreating Grant's final hours, it actualizes him as a man, not just a rally cry.

Mar 31, 2020

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

While Fruitvale Station is elevated by Jordan's portrayal, the supporting cast, whose characters surround Oscar even during his most internal struggles, is also magnetic to watch.

Rated: A-

Sep 7, 2017

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Jeffrey Peterson

Indie Film Minute

Coogler’s Fruitvale Station is less about American violence and more about American vulnerability. Specifically, the lack thereof.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 1, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Minus a few small stumbles, which can be expected from a first time filmmaker, “Fruitvale Station” is still an emotionally powerful film that puts a spotlight on an unfortunate tragedy.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 21, 2022

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Jason Adams

My New Plaid Pants

For something attempting to be intimate, it's instead kind of smothering

Jan 14, 2022

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Benyam E

Amazing a man with so much dimension is no longer with us.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/24/25

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Krystala A

The fact that this is a true story is heart-breaking. This movie will leave you feeling heartbroken. This movie immerses you in the situation, evoking a sense of desperation and anger. The scene where Oscar's family receives the devastating news of his death is particularly poignant. This powerful film effectively sheds light on the issue of police brutality and is a must-watch for all. This is my current favorite Michael B. Jordan movie to date. This being Ryan's directorial debut, is astounding. He did an amazing job. I hope this movie pays respect to Oscar and his family.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

Full Review

Audience Member

While watching this, I couldn’t help but think it could’ve been a slightly better production, even though it still felt simple and in a good way. No score or real music, felt a little bland at times, and the acting wasn’t that good until the end (with the exception of Michael B. Jordan a few times and Octavia Spencer both when the film ended and throughout the movie). Nevertheless, the subject matter of this film is important and I didn’t know about this real-life event before watching it. Really sad story that should’ve never been true. There should be other movies about these kind of stories (i.e. Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, etc.). May they all rest in peace and be remembered for justice.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/04/25

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Amber M

Ryan and Michael the dynamic duo! This movie was well done! RIP Oscar Grant 😣🥺❤️🙏🏾

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/30/25

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Nick R

Very well-acted and very emotional.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/21/25

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Audience Member

This was a story about a troubled man with a good heart whose life was unfairly cut short. This was a very powerful story highlighting very important issues we face, and nothing about this film misrepresented that. this film made me care about him and his family, and made my cry at the end. Masterful in its storytelling and acting, beautifully shot, and as moat important in a drama, emotionally gripping. 9.5/10

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

Full Review

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Synopsis

Though he once spent time in San Quentin, 22-year-old black man Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) is now trying hard to live a clean life and support his girlfriend (Melonie Diaz) and young daughter (Ariana Neal). Flashbacks reveal the last day in Oscar's life, in which he accompanied his family and friends to San Francisco to watch fireworks on New Year's Eve, and, on the way back home, became swept up in an altercation with police that ended in tragedy. Based on a true story.

Director: Ryan Coogler
Producer: Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi
Screenwriter: Ryan Coogler
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Signature Productions
Rating: R (Some Drug Use|Language Throughout|Some Violence)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 26, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 16, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $16.1M
Runtime: 1h 25m

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