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Kailah Waiters
J. Young
Film 1005
04/25/2020
Fruitvale Station Analysis
When I first screened “Fruitvale Station”, I had no expectations. I remember doing
something mundane and honestly just wanted some white noise. So, I did what I usually do and
turned on Netflix and flipped to a random movie. Quickly the movie caught my attention and I
sat down. Next thing I knew I was actually crying during the last couple of scenes in the film.
The movie was captivating, heartbreaking, and thrilling all at the same time. The film Fruitvale
Station raises awareness to the fact that there is a large number of black African American deaths
due to police brutality. What makes it even worst is that the movie is based on the real-life event
of Oscar Grant.
“Fruitvale Station is a 2013 American biographical drama film written and directed by Ryan
Coogler. It is Coogler's feature directorial debut and is based on the events leading to the death
of Oscar Grant, a young man who was killed in 2009 by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle
at the Fruitvale district station of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system in Oakland.”
(Wikipedia) Oscar Grant was 22 years old when he was murdered. The movie portrays Oscar as
an actual human being. In an interview with Washington Post Coogler states, “During the trial I
saw how the situation became politicized. Oscar was either seen as a saint, or he was seen as a
monster, who got what he deserved that night depending on which side of the fence people stood
on. I felt that in that process, Oscar’s truth was lost. He was only 22 and had faults like all of us,
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but did not deserve what happened. I thought Oscar’s story had cinematic value and it move me
and my community. Oscar’s story needed to be told.” In the film we get to see that Oscar is
struggling to keep honest work outside of prison. He loses his job and debates selling marijuana
again to support his family, but he eventually throws the weed in the ocean. He remembers when
he was in prison and not being able to see his daughter or his family. These scenes give the
audience a realistic view of Oscar. He cared deeply for his daughter and his family and he
wanted to change and be there for them.
Fruitvale Station depicts the story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old from Hayward,
California, and his experiences on the last day of his life, before he was fatally shot by BART
Police in the early morning hours of New Year's Day 2009. The movie begins with the actual
footage of Oscar Grant and his friends being detained by the BART Police at the Fruitvale
BART station in Oakland on January 1, 2009, at 2:15 a.m. right before the shooting. The film
shows Grant and his girlfriend Sophina arguing about Grant's recent infidelity. It later shows
Grant unsuccessfully attempting to get his job back at the grocery store. He briefly considers
selling some marijuana but, in the end, decides to dump the stash. Grant later attends a birthday
party for his mother, Wanda, and agrees to take the BART train to see fireworks and other New
Year's festivities in San Francisco since she is worried about him driving.
At the climax of the film Oscar and a few of his other African American friends where
pulled off the train “randomly” by the BART police after a fight. The tension is high when one
of Oscar’s friends gets a little hot headed and starts arguing with one of the police officers. One
thing led to another and two Bart officers are kneeling on Oscars back. One officer named
Johannes Mehserle reaches for his gun as the screaming continues. A shot is heard and
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everything seems to stop. The other officer repeatedly “What did you do?” Blood begins to seep
from Oscars mouth as he says “you shot me.”
Fast-forwarding a few scenes, were now at the hospital. Oscars girlfriend, mom, and a
few close friends are waiting to hear from the doctors and is seen constantly praying. When the
doctor does into the room an ominous silence takes over the waiting room. Sophina, his
girlfriend, drops to her knees and begins to cry. His mom is in shock and tears fills her eyes as
she demands to see her son. The film ends with Sophina cradling her daughter in the shower.
In the actual trail for the murder of Oscar Grant Mehserle testified that he thought he
reached for his taser and didn’t me to shoot Oscar with his gun. The trail lasted a little over a
year and on November 5, 2010, Mehserle was sentenced to two years with double credit for time
already served, reducing his term by 292 days for the 146 days he has already spent in jail. The
judge overturned the gun enhancement, which could have added an additional 3 to 10 years to
the sentence. He was released from prison at 12:01 am on June 13, 2011.
Just six days after the fatal shooting of Oscar Grant, protest began peacefully to oppose
the unfair treatment of poor African Americans by the transit police. But after the sentencing of
Mehserle on July 8, 2009 many people were in outrage. They believed he should have been
charged with second-degree murder instead of manslaughter. According to an article from
BlackPast, "Many of these protests began peacefully during the day but violence broke out early
in the evening. Groups of anarchists—who were not black Oakland residents—looted businesses,
set fires, and caused further public destruction."
Fruitvale Station brings awareness to a tragic story of a young African American man
who wanted to better his life in order to provide for his family. Oscar Grant’s life was taken from
him by a police officer who swore to protect and serve. He was unarmed and out numbered and
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yet he still died that night. By making this film Coogler told the story of Oscar to millions who
might’ve never known about this tale. This is yet another tale of another black male wrongfully
shot and killed but their story needs to be told, maybe this way there will be a difference made.
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Works Cited
“Ryan Coogler on 'Fruitvale Station'.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 19 July 2013,
www.washingtonpost.com/local/therootdc/ryan-coogler-on-fruitvalestation/2013/07/21/cd808d36-ee70-11e2-a1f9-ea873b7e0424_story.html.
“Fruitvale Station.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Apr. 2020,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruitvale_Station.
Greenlaw, Marshall. “The Oscar Grant (Oakland) Protests, 2009-2011.” Welcome to Blackpast •,
6 Feb. 2020, www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/oscar-grant-oakland-protests2009-2011/.