Fruitvale Station

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Journal #3
Fruitvale Station
Brief Screening Report

Never judge a book by its cover. The books with the coarse and jagged edges may have the most genuine and earnest stories to reveal. 

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              Fruitvale Station is based on the unjust homicide of Oscar Grant III. When watching the film, one's emotions are put to the ultimate test when witnessing the horrid events which take place at Fruitvale Station on New Years. After Grant and his friends were brutally shoved to the ground and unnecessarily beat, I found myself starting to resent the vicious police men (and women) who were letting their emotions and flashy badges get the best of them. However, after the single shot was fired into Grants lung while he was violently pinned to the ground by two officers, I utterly lost it. I found myself resenting the people in society who are sworn under oath to protect us, to protect me. Grant lying on the cold, hard subway floor, weakly notifying the officers that he had a daughter was one of the hardest moments I have ever experienced in a film. I believe Ryan Coogler, the director, was able to twist my emotions so vigorously through this film, because he did an amazing job of building Grant and Tatiana’s relationship. Although Grant loved his mother and his girlfriend Sophina, his last words were about his daughter.  

            Throughout the film Coogler portrays many scene which build Grant and Tatiana’s relationship. Such as the opening scene when Grant allow Tatiana to sleep in his bed, or when he races her to the car from her daycare center, or even when he licks a playing card and sticks it to her forehead. However, the best scene (to me) which builds Grants and Tatiana’s relationship is presented towards the end of the film. At 45 minutes to 48 minutes into the film, Grant is depicted brushing his teeth with Tatiana and getting her ready for bed. Although Grant is a former drug dealer and a convict, this scene shows his soft side and his love towards his daughter. Grant has a fun filled moment brushing his teeth with Tatiana and the scene after illustrates Grant promising Tatiana that he will play CandyLand with her the next morning and take her to Chuck-e-Cheese later in the day. He then tells Tatiana he loves her. Grant tells many people in the film that he loves them, such as his mother and Sophina, but he when he tells Tatiana that he loves her it is in a different tone and the camera angle is focused in, meaning this scene is important. He also tells Tatiana that he loves her more than he tells any other important person in his life. This scene of Grant and Tatiana really portrays Grant’s love for his daughter. This scene is what made Grant lying on the ground in Fruitvale station saying Tatiana’s name so unbearable for to me to handle.