History Film / FruitvaleStation

* BittersweetEnding: Leaning very much towards the bitter side. Oscar is shot and subsequently dies during surgery, and his killer claiming he mistook his gun for a taser is enough for him to avoid proper legal justice, but the social movement that sparks as a result ensures his memory will live on forever.

The film revolves around Grant (played by Creator/MichaelBJordan) as he decides to spend the day prior, New Year's Eve 2008, getting a head start on his resolutions, including improving his relationships with his mother (Creator/OctaviaSpencer), girlfriend (Melonie Diaz), and daughter (Ariana Neal). As he crosses paths with friends and strangers over the course of the day, everything comes to a head with a fateful encounter with the police at the Fruitvale [[UsefulNotes/BayAreaRapidTransit BART]] station.

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival (under the name ''Fruitvale'') before moving on to the Cannes Film Festival, playing to great reviews in both venues, with much of the praise given to Michael B. Jordan's performance in the lead role. It was given a limited release in theatres on July 12, 2013.

** Oscar's death is similar in many ways to the dog that died earlier in the day. They both were killed by people who were callous and careless, both had done nothing wrong, hadn't seen the attack coming, both even [[BloodFromTheMouth bled from the mouth]]. They were also comforted by strangers on the scene, the dog by Oscar and Oscar by the police supervisor.

* ItsAllMyFault: When she gets the chance to see her son's body, Oscar's mom breaks down and begins to blame herself, saying that if she had not convinced him to take the train, and allowed him to fulfill his original want of driving to the New Year's celebration, the whole incident would've been avoided.

The film revolves around Grant (played by Creator/MichaelBJordan), as he decides to spend the day prior, New Year's Eve 2008, getting a head start on his resolutions, including improving his relationships with his mother (Creator/OctaviaSpencer), girlfriend (Melonie Diaz), and daughter (Ariana Neal). As he crosses paths with friends and strangers over the course of the day, everything comes to a head with a fateful encounter with the police at the Fruitvale [[UsefulNotes/BayAreaRapidTransit BART]] station.

-->'''Tatiana''': [[TearJerker Where's Daddy?]]

The film revolves around Oscar Grant (Creator/MichaelBJordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who decides to spend the day prior, New Year's Eve 2008, getting a head start on his resolutions, including improving his relationships with his mother (Creator/OctaviaSpencer), girlfriend (Melonie Diaz), and daughter (Ariana Neal). As he crosses paths with friends and strangers over the course of the day, everything comes to a head with a fateful encounter with the police at the Fruitvale [[UsefulNotes/BayAreaRapidTransit BART]] station.

* ArtisticLicense: While the film stays generally faithful to Oscar's real-life story, [[WordOfGod Coogler has admitted to necessary use of]] this for building his character, mostly (and most controversially) the dog scene, which was meant to showcase [[HiddenDepths the usually hidden emotional depths]] of Oscar, and possibly do a bit of {{foreshadowing}}.

* BittersweetEnding: Leaning very much towards the bitter side. Oscar is shot and subsequently dies during surgery, his killer claiming he mistook his gun for a taser is enough for him to avoid proper legal justice, but the social movement that sparks as a result ensures his memory will live on forever.

* GoryDiscretionShot: Both the real-life and recreated moments of Oscar being shot are not shown -- the former cuts to black just before the gunshot, and the latter chooses to focus on Oscar's face.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The cop's reaction after shooting Oscar.

''Fruitvale Station'' is a 2013 biographical film written and directed by Creator/RyanCoogler in his feature debut.

The film revolves around Oscar Grant (Creator/MichaelBJordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who decides to spend New Year's Eve 2008 getting a head start on his New Year's resolutions, including improving his relationships with his mother (Creator/OctaviaSpencer), girlfriend (Melonie Diaz), and daughter (Ariana Neal). As he crosses paths with friends and strangers over the course of the day, everything comes to a head with a fateful encounter with the police at the Fruitvale [[UsefulNotes/BayAreaRapidTransit BART]] station.

BasedOnATrueStory, the movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival (under the name of simply ''Fruitvale'') before moving on to the Cannes Film Festival, playing to great reviews in both venues, with much of the praise given to Michael B. Jordan's performance in the lead role. It was given a limited release in theatres on July 12, 2013.

* AdultFear:
** Oscar's mom: Having your son killed in cold blood, and knowing that [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom you might have caused it]].
** Oscar himself: Having your daughter tell you before you leave that she fears for your life, reassuring her that everything will be okay, only to later be fatally shot, proving her fears true -- all while she's unaware.

* BasedOnATrueStory

->''[[{{Tagline}} Every step brings you closer to the edge.]]''

''Fruitvale Station'' (previously known as simply ''Fruitvale'') is a 2013 film written and directed by Creator/RyanCoogler about Oscar Grant (Creator/MichaelBJordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who decides to spend New Year's Eve 2008 getting a head start on his New Year's resolutions, including improving his relationships with his mother (Creator/OctaviaSpencer), girlfriend (Melonie Diaz), and daughter (Ariana Neal). As he crosses paths with friends and strangers over the course of the day, everything comes to a head with a fateful encounter with the police at the Fruitvale [[UsefulNotes/BayAreaRapidTransit BART]] station.

BasedOnATrueStory, the movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before moving on to the Cannes Film Festival, playing to great reviews in both venues, with much of the praise given to Michael B. Jordan's performance in the lead role. It was given a limited release in theatres on July 12, 2013.

!!Discussing tropes found within this work will significantly spoil the entire film. If you have not done so already, watch the movie first, then come back. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned.

* DisasterDominoes: A supermarket customer Oscar helped recognizing on the train leads to a former inmate also recognizing him, which leads to the brawl that later gets him shot.

* BasedOnATrueStory: While it stays generally faithful to Oscar's real-life story, [[WordOfGod Coogler has admitted to necessary use of]] ArtisticLicense for building his character, mostly (and most controversially) the dog scene, which was meant to showcase the usually hidden emotional depths of Oscar, and possibly do a bit of {{foreshadowing}}.

* DramaticIrony: The film's ending is shown in the beginning, thus formatting it as a ForegoneConclusion, and making the film's content far more poignant as we're fully aware that we are watching a man's last day on Earth.

* HowWeGotHere: The film opens with real-life cellphone footage of Oscar being restrained by police moments before he is shot. The rest of the film covers the whole of the day before, and includes this moment -- as recreated by the cast and crew -- as well as shortly after.

** After Oscar is shot, there's a brief insert from earlier in the day -- Oscar carrying Tatiana on his back -- shown with almost no audio to incredibly poignant effect.

* AdultFear: It's hard not to sympathize for Oscar's mom [[OutlivingOnesOffspring come the end of the film]].

* TheHeroDies: The main character at any rate. Oscar dies at the end of the movie.

* ItsAllMyFault: When she gets the chance to see her son's body, Oscar's mom breaks down and begins to blame herself, saying that if she had let him drive to the New Year's celebration, the whole incident would've been avoided.

* ShowerOfAngst: Downplayed. The film ends with Sophina and Tatiana in the shower together. It's not explicitly for emotional release, but it's definitely an emotional moment.
* SilenceIsGolden: After Oscar is shot, there's a brief insert from earlier in the day -- Oscar carrying Tatiana on his back -- shown with almost no audio to incredibly poignant effect.

* BasedOnATrueStory: Albeit not without instances of ArtisticLicense [[WordOfGod as admitted by the director]], mostly (and most controversially) the dog scene.

** Blood starts coming out of the struck pitbull's mouth after it's hit by a car.

* HeroicBSOD: Sophina is already incredibly tense as Oscar and his friends are being

* IHaveAFamily: After Oscar is shot, he repeatedly states that he has a very young daughter.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The cop's reaction after shooting Oscar. Also, the supervisor goes from trading threats and racial epithets with Oscar to trying to comfort him until help arrives.
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Near the start of the film, we get a showcase to [[EstablishingCharacterMoment Oscar's heart and character]] through his helping of a customer at the store who's frying her first fish. Later on, it's this same customer's public recognition of him that leads to another more hostile recognition from a nemesis of his that leads to a fight that leads to the police arriving which leads to Oscar being shot.

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: The last line of the film, as Sophina and T

!!Tropes Applying to Fruitvale Station include:
%%* BasedOnATrueStory
* BloodFromTheMouth: Blood starts coming out of Oscar's mouth shortly after he's shot, and internal bleeding is what eventually kills him.

* ForegoneConclusion: As it's based off the infamous real life shooting (shown at the beginning via camera phone footage), you know Oscar's going to die at the end.

* KarmaHoudini: The ex-con who inadvertently gets Oscar shot, and his friends arrested isn't even pulled off the train by the police even though HE is the one who assaulted Oscar.

%%* PoliceBrutality

** Oscar intended to drive to the New Year's celebration, but his mother suggested over washing dishes that he and his friends should take the train, just as a safety measure in case they're drunk on the trip back.

''Fruitvale Station'' (previously known as simply ''Fruitvale'') is a 2013 film written and directed by Creator/RyanCoogler about Oscar Grant (Creator/MichaelBJordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who decides to spend New Year's Eve 2008 getting a head start on his New Year's resolutions, including improving his relationships with his mother (Creator/OctaviaSpencer), girlfriend (Melonie Diaz), and daughter (Ariana Neal). As he crosses paths with friends and strangers over the course of the day, everything comes to a head with a fateful encounter with the police on the Fruitvale BART station.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: When the girl who Oscar helped in the store spots him on the train, she cheerfully calls out to him...and draws the attention of Oscar's nemesis, who initiates a fight with him, which sets the tragic events of the evening in motion.

''Fruitvale Station'' (previously known as simply ''Fruitvale'') is a 2013 film written and directed by Ryan Coogler about Oscar Grant (Creator/MichaelBJordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who decides to spend New Year's Eve 2008 getting a head start on his New Year's resolutions, including improving his relationships with his mother (Creator/OctaviaSpencer), girlfriend (Melonie Diaz), and daughter (Ariana Neal). As he crosses paths with friends and strangers over the course of the day, everything comes to a head with a fateful encounter with the police on the Fruitvale BART station.

* BloodFromTheMouth: Blood starts coming out of Oscar's mouth shortly after he's shot, and internal bleed is what eventually kills him.

''Fruitvale Station'' (previously known as simply ''Fruitvale'') is a 2013 film written and directed by Ryan Coogler about Oscar Grant (Creator/MichaelBJordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who decides to spend New Year's Eve 2008 getting a head start on his New Year's resolutions, including improving his relationships with his mother (Octavia Spencer), girlfriend (Melonie Diaz), and daughter (Ariana Neal). As he crosses paths with friends and strangers over the course of the day, everything comes to a head with a fateful encounter with the police on the Fruitvale BART station.

* OscarBait: Tragically misunderstood young man makes amends with his family and friends only to get killed by the police. The Academy was unimpressed.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The cop's reaction after shooting Oscar.

%%* BloodFromTheMouth
* CallBack / CallForward: Oscar's death is similar in many ways to the dog that died earlier in the day. They both were killed by people who were callous and careless, both had done nothing wrong, hadn't seen the attack coming, both even [[BloodFromTheMouth bled from the mouth]]. They were also comforted by strangers on the scene, the dog by Oscar and Oscar by the police supervisor.

* DisasterDominoes: A former co-worker recognizing him on the train leads to a former inmate also recognizing him which leads to the brawl that later gets him shot.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Tatiana worries about guns and her father's safety, and he reassures her that everything will be fine. He's wrong.

* OscarBait: Tragically misunderstood young man makes amends with his family and friends [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth only to get killed by the police.]] The Academy was unimpressed.

* KarmaHoudini: The cop who shot Oscar is only sentenced to 2 years in prison, and, even worst, gets out after serving only ''11 months''.
** The ex-con who inadvertently gets Oscar shot, and his friends arrested isn't even pulled off the train by the police even though HE is the one who assaulted Oscar.

* PoliceBrutality: Watch the cell phone video at the opening sequence and say this isn't police brutality.

* TheHeroDies