The Last Black man in San Francisco

Locations
Call Number: DVD Drama Last
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Pittsfield Branch, Traverwood Branch

Title from sell sheet.
Originally released as a motion picture in 2019.
Wide screen.
Special features: Audio commentary with Joe Talbot; "Ode to the city" featurette.
Jimmie Fails, Jonathan Majors, Danny Glover, Tichina Arnold, Rob Morgan, Mike Epps, Finn Wittrock, Thora Birch.
Jimmie Fails dreams of reclaiming the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Joined on his quest by his best friend Mont, Jimmie searches for belonging in a rapidly changing city that seems to have left them behind. As he struggles to reconnect with his family and reconstruct the community he longs for, his hopes blind him to the reality of his situation.
DVD, wide screen; Dolby digital 5.1.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

unwatchable garbage. submitted by Tassos on December 14, 2019, 6:57am I could only spend a few minutes trying to watch this lame DVD.

Interesting look at race and gentrification submitted by Will O on August 27, 2020, 2:02pm Overall I really enjoyed this film.
It was a lot funnier than I expected and also looked really good.
Jimmie Fails as Jim and Jonathan Majors as Mont were outstanding and brought a verisimilitude to their characters that is so rare. I believed them as friends and they had great chemistry together.
Every interaction that Jim and Mont had with each other and others in the movie felt real and there was never really any clunky exposition, things were revealed or not but it all was naturalistic in the best way.
I liked the themes the movie touched upon of gentrification and feeling like you belong in a place that's pushed you out and holding onto whatever you can to keep yourself going. In Jim's case the house his grandfather built.
Mont's artist character was really interesting and watching him observe the people on his curb and the local street preacher to use in his play was integrated well in the story.
I was hoping that the play would kind of deliver the thesis of the movie but after a really interesting start it kind of fizzled out. The actual ending of the movie did that a little for me as well where it just sort of faded instead of building up to some sort of cohesive statement which it felt like it was going to do.
I still really enjoyed the movie but a better ending would have made me enjoy the destination as much as I enjoyed the journey.

beautiful submitted by zaraz on August 5, 2022, 11:12pm this is one of my favorite films in recent years. the script is stellar, the acting is incredible, the message is important, and the cinematography is gorgeous. jonathan majors is such a talent, as are jimmy fails and joe talbot.

absolutely breathtaking submitted by pmheard on June 9, 2023, 11:19am this blew me away.

firstly, the cinematography was easily the best i’ve seen; the contrast, colors, focus, foreground, honestly everything. also, so many fantastic pieces of social commentary here that are extremely relevant today. the juxtaposition of one’s true self and their expected identity performance. the ever-growing gentrification of our cities and expelling of black communities and to the rougher outskirts (happened to mine in grand rapids). the emphasis that locations mean more to us than just that; they represent culture, traditions, roots, and family. as a black woman, this hit me right in my heart.

so much here to take in. will definitely revisit this a second time.

“i shouldn’t get to appreciate them cuz they’re mean to me?”

Slow moving submitted by mandevil on April 11, 2024, 7:07pm Too slow for me