December 31, 2008; Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) is a 22-year-old Bay Area resident spending New Year’s Eve preparing for his mother’s birthday celebrations and a night out with friends. His wayward youth has left him with some making up to do with his mother Wanda (Octavia Spencer), his feisty girlfriend Sophina (Melonie Diaz) and his 4-year-old daughter T (Ariana Neal), but he seems determined to straighten out his life, despite struggling to hold down a job and doubts creeping in about whether he will be able to provide for his family. With a lot on his mind, Oscar takes in the New Year revelries, though his journey home will prove fateful for him, his family and the wider community.

Ryan Coogler’s exceptional debut feature won the major awards at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013, and is a sincere and emotional slice-of-life rooted in real events. (Notes by Michael Hayden.)

Don’t forget we now schedule weekly.

★★★★ The Guardian