Extraordinary Film About an Ordinary Man

Fruitvale Station is a powerful portrayal of an American tragedy

When a Bay Area Rapid Transit officer shot Oscar Grant in the back in 2009, it caused an immediate firestorm. The incident happened while Grant was being detained at Fruitvale Station in Oakland, California, on New Year’s Day.

The event, which was caught on camera by numerous witnesses, landed on YouTube, making it a crime that could be instantly parsed and discussed worldwide.

Four years later, it likely would’ve been a victim of our consume-and-throw-away news cycle were it not for the efforts of writer/director Ryan Coogler, an Oakland native. Coogler has dramatized the events in Fruitvale Station, a movie that attempts to document the last day of Grant’s life.

The film does not lionize Oscar Grant; it tries to show the full measure of the former convict trying to get his life in order.

Thankfully, the film does not lionize Grant (Michael B. Jordan); it tries to show the full measure of the man. Grant was a former convict who was trying to get his life back together.

As shown by the film, though, he often sabotaged his own efforts, showing up late for jobs or cheating on his girlfriend, Sophina (Melonie Diaz), with whom he had a daughter. He also had a close relationship with his mother (Octavia Spencer), but it wasn't without its ups and downs.

During several scenes, audience members must remember the disclaimer, “based on a true story.” Although Coogler did deep research to understand who Grant was and what he did that day, in certain moments, only one person could have known what Grant was doing: Grant himself. That includes one scene where Grant encounters a dog at a gas station, which could be considered highly manipulative.

But if you can forgive the few scenes with artistic license, the film is a substantially powerful piece, made all the more impressive because it’s Coogler’s debut feature film. He shows skill at pacing, as the brief 24-hour period in which the film is set is neither rushed nor drawn out, giving the inevitable conclusion the impact it deserves.

Coogler also elicits fine performances from the cast. Jordan has been a rising star since his time on The Wire, and this could be the role that finally puts him on the A-list. Just like the story, he plays Grant as neither perfect nor a thug; he’s just someone trying to survive day to day. Diaz and Spencer both make the most of their screen time as the women who love the man Grant could be, but who are also frustrated by his failings.

Fruitvale Station does not attempt to provide any answers — even if there were any to be had. Rather, it’s a brief but intense look into the life of an ordinary man, one that will leave the viewer hungry for more from the talent involved and gutted over the tragic end to Oscar Grant’s life.

Oscar Grant (played by Michael B. Jordan) was a man trying to do the best for his family, which included his daughter, Tatiana.

Fruitvale Station

Photo courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Oscar Grant (played by Michael B. Jordan) was a man trying to do the best for his family, which included his daughter, Tatiana.

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 10 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

WaterTower Theatre presents The Graduate

Photo by Paris Marie Productions

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The slate of events in and around Dallas this weekend is a toss-up, not because of the quality of the various offerings, but because the extreme cold and predicted snow/ice on Saturday may throw a wrench into the plans. The good news is most of the events featured will take place or start on Thursday and Friday, with choices including four theater productions, an appearance from a famous foodie, two comedians, a symphony concert, a pop concert, and an opera concert.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend - weather pending. If you want more options, check out the calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events. If any of the below events are postponed or canceled, updates will be posted next to each listing.

Thursday, January 22

Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern
Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern is an interactive fantasy adventure where the audience chooses the heroes, battles monsters, and helps three adventurers on an epic quest to save the world. By calling out suggestions and making decisions on their smartphones, the audience determines which heroes appear, where they explore, and ultimately how their story ends. The production runs through February 1 at Wyly Theatre.

DMA Arts & Letters Live: Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi’s new cookbook, All American: Tales, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond, is a love letter to the people who create and evolve American cuisine every day and a joyful reflection of who we truly are as a nation, from one of our most essential culinarians. At this special event, taking place at the Dallas Museum of Art, she will be in conversation with Priya Krishna, former New York Times restaurant critic.

Mac Welch presents Lungs
"Ten thousand tons of CO2. That’s the weight of the Eiffel Tower. I’d be giving birth to the Eiffel Tower.” This humorous remark captures the tone of Lungs, Duncan Macmillan’s striking yet occasionally frustrating play. M and W, a young couple, find themselves examining the scope of their lives together and the world around them when they begin considering starting a family. The production, part of AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project, will have four performances through Sunday at Wyly Theatre.

Paul Chowdhry: Artificial Indian
One of the UK’s most successful stand-up comedians, Paul Chowdhry comes to Dallas as part of his U.S. tour debut, Artificial Indian. In the show, Chowdhry explores modern identity with raw honesty and biting wit, from being a British-Asian man never fully accepted in Britain to navigating a louder, more chaotic America. Audiences can expect rapid-fire takes on race, politics, fame, dating, and surviving in an era where billionaires run for president and fake news runs the internet. The show takes place at Majestic Theatre.

WaterTower Theatre presents The Graduate
Terry Johnson’s stage adaptation of the classic novel and iconic film The Graduate drops audiences into 1960s California, where recent college grad Benjamin Braddock’s carefully planned future starts to unravel after an unexpected affair with the infamous Mrs. Robinson. Sharp, funny, and uncomfortable in all the right ways, the play takes on family expectations, fractured marriages, and the confusion of growing up. The production runs through February 8 at Addison Performing Arts Centre in Addison.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Holst’s The Planets"
Edward Gardner returns to conduct Holst’s most famous score, The Planets, with the astrological character of each of the celestial bodies. Each planetary “portrait” reveals a fitting attribute, from Mars’ bellicose hammer blows to the haunting resonances of Neptune, “The Mystic.” The program will also include Walton's Coronation Te Deum and the U.S. premiere of James McMillan's Where the Lugar meets the Glaisnock. The concert, which will feature euphonium soloist David Childs, will have three performances through Saturday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Friday, January 23

Improv Addison presents Gabriel Iglesias
Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias is the star and executive producer of Mr. Iglesias on Netflix, and has a comedy stand-up special, One Show Fits All, also on Netflix. Feature film credits include co-starring roles in Magic Mike, Magic Mike XXL, and A Haunted House 2. He's also provided voices for many animated films, most recently Space Jam: A New Legacy and Ugly Dolls, and he co-starred in Disney+’s The Santa Clauses. He'll perform four times through Saturday at Improv Addison.

Mania: The ABBA Tribute in concert
Mania: The ABBA Tribute delivers an authentic tribute to the legendary Swedish band that has captured the hearts of fans for generations. Through costumes, choreography, and musicianship, Mania: The ABBA Tribute recreates the magic of ABBA's music in all its glory. From "Dancing Queen" to "Waterloo," "Mamma Mia" to "Take a Chance on Me," the band performs all of ABBA's greatest hits with passion and precision, transporting audiences back to the disco era of the 1970s. The concert takes place at Majestic Theatre.

Saturday, January 24

Dallas Children's Theater presents The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
The illustrations of beloved children’s author Eric Carle leap from the page to the stage in a production that features a cast of 75 larger-than-life puppets representing familiar characters from four of Carle’s most well-known stories. In a celebration of animals and imagination, audiences will visit the worlds of The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, Mister Seahorse, The Very Lonely Firefly, and, of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The production runs through February 28 at Dallas Children's Theater.

Sunday, January 25

The Dallas Opera presents Hart Institute for Women Conductors: 10th Anniversary Concert
Addressing the profound gender imbalance on the world’s opera orchestra podiums, the Hart Institute provides training and career support to the next generation of women conductors. This special anniversary performance will feature six alumnae maestri from the first decade of the Institute, including Tiffany Chang, Michelle Di Russo, Barbara Dragan, Tianyi Lu, Shira Samuels-Shragg, and Blair Salter, and a guest host. Each conductor will lead The Dallas Opera Orchestra and guest singers in excerpts from operas significant to TDO’s history. The concert takes place at Winspear Opera House.

WaterTower Theatre presents The Graduate

Photo by Paris Marie Productions

WaterTower Theatre will present The Graduate, running through February 8 at Addison Performing Arts Centre.

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