This is a good film with great acting all around, directed by an emerging, enthusiastic filmmaker. With that being said, there is nothing special about its storytelling that makes it stand out.
First, the film starts with a "Based on a true story" disclaimer, which adds nothing but confusion to its content. The director has admitted that 'Katie' does not represent a real-life individual but a composite of multiple people, which implies that he has brought significant dramatization. Given that many narrative films today are inspired more or less by true events, this opening message only makes you wonder how much of the story is actually true.
Second, the film ends with a sequence of text-only frames which forces you to read multiple pages about what happens afterwards. A simple gimmick of, for example, adding actual still images to the background, or showing newspaper headlines, would have made this sequence more effective. Such creativity should be a no-brainer in this digital age, when everyone is equipped with a video-capable device, ready to become an instant YouTube correspondent in case of an emergency, as clearly demonstrated by this very film.
Last but not least, the film refuses to make any statement or offer any new insight, and you are eventually left to wonder what message to take away from it. It is a rather plain recreation of serial events, the fidelity of which is not even guaranteed. "Fruitvale" is ultimately saved by the splendid performances of its cast, adequate pacing, and high-adrenaline content, but left with much to be desired in the top-level concept.
First, the film starts with a "Based on a true story" disclaimer, which adds nothing but confusion to its content. The director has admitted that 'Katie' does not represent a real-life individual but a composite of multiple people, which implies that he has brought significant dramatization. Given that many narrative films today are inspired more or less by true events, this opening message only makes you wonder how much of the story is actually true.
Second, the film ends with a sequence of text-only frames which forces you to read multiple pages about what happens afterwards. A simple gimmick of, for example, adding actual still images to the background, or showing newspaper headlines, would have made this sequence more effective. Such creativity should be a no-brainer in this digital age, when everyone is equipped with a video-capable device, ready to become an instant YouTube correspondent in case of an emergency, as clearly demonstrated by this very film.
Last but not least, the film refuses to make any statement or offer any new insight, and you are eventually left to wonder what message to take away from it. It is a rather plain recreation of serial events, the fidelity of which is not even guaranteed. "Fruitvale" is ultimately saved by the splendid performances of its cast, adequate pacing, and high-adrenaline content, but left with much to be desired in the top-level concept.