Before Michael B. Jordan became an international superstar in mega hits like the Creed series and Marvel’s Black Panther, he starred in the equally heartbreaking and eye-opening biographical drama Fruitvale Station. If you’ve never had a chance to see the emotional film, you won’t have to do much to seek it out and give it a watch, as it’s just landed on Netflix this week.
Ryan Coogler’s feature directorial debut is based on the events that led to the tragic 2009 death of a young Oakland man at Fruitvale Station. Jordan plays the role of Oscar Grant during the last day of his life, with the movie told through a series of flashbacks that show his struggles with living clean and doing the right thing by his family.
The pic scored an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, and most critics agreed that Jordan’s performance was utterly mesmerizing and powerful, with some even likening his acting to that of a young Denzel Washington. It went on to be nominated for dozens of awards and won quite a few of them, too.
It goes without saying that Fruitvale Station may make for an important watch during a time when racial injustice is once again a major talking point in the wake of the murder of citizens like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor earlier this year, both of which have incited significant protests across the country.
If you’re looking for something light-hearted, of course, this movie isn’t going to scratch that itch in the slightest. That said, you can always head over here and take a look at some of the other stuff coming to Netflix throughout the remainder of November. But if you’re up for some heavy drama, Fruitvale Station is as good a choice as any.