Fruitvale Station

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Fruitvale Station

R

Released Jul 26, 2013

1h 25m

Biography

Drama

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Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

212 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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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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

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Calvin D

Powerful and thought-provoking film, superbly acted by the leads and supporting cast. The film is rendered more compelling by the actors' restraint and the director's reasonable, unhurried pacing. Even the soundtrack, sparingly used, provides an authentic resonance to whatever is happening or not happening on screen. The film plays more like a documentary than a feature film and is all the more effective because of it. Despite the emotional import of Oscar Grant's last day, the director never loses focus of an enduring maxim, well known to the overlooked and underserved, most of our days start off and play out unremarkably, even the ones that ultimately lead to tragedy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/21/24

Full Review

Zain B

A great way to humanise the victims of barbaric oppressing structures. We need to see more movies which explore the very real suffering ordinary people face and how they end up on the doorstep of violence. A must watch!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/13/24

Full Review

KB B

This was such an awesome film with exceptional acting and storyline. Octavia Spencer was superb as usual. It's definitely worth the watch.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

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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