The Last Black Man in San Francisco (HBO)

About The Last Black Man in San Francisco

The Last Black Man in San Francisco is an American drama film directed by Joe Talbot, in his directorial debut. The movie first premiered in January 2019 at the Sundance Film Festival, and it hits on some very powerful themes like gentrification, racial injustice and identity.

The plot revolves around the life of Jimmie Fails, who nostalgically yearns to reclaim a Victorian house his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Now, the neighborhood has changed due to gentrification. The film dramatically unfolds as Jimmie and his friend Mont try to reconnect with their roots and find out the place they truly belong.

Making / Production

The film was a product of a successful Kickstarter campaign that began in 2015 and funded the production. It’s a semi-biographical drama, based partly on its lead actor's own life. Two childhood friends, Joe Talbot and Jimmie Fails, collaborated to give us this evocative masterpiece that resonates with the real-world issues of gentrification and displacement, depicting the human tragidies often inherent within them.

Actors

• Jimmie Fails as Jimmie Fails - He played his role gracefully, giving depth to the character who is in pursuit of his dream.
• Jonathan Majors as Montgomery Allen - Majors presented an empathetic character who stood by his friend during all hardships.
• Danny Glover as Grandpa Allen - He added to the narrative by playing a crucial role in Jimmie’s life.
• Tichina Arnold as Wanda Fails - Her portrayal of Jimmie's mother in the movie was poignant and significant.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie is semi-autobiographical, based on the life of the lead actor Jimmie Fails.
• The movie started as a concept trailer that was released on Kickstarter to crowdsource funds for its production.

Awards

The film was well received critically and won the Directing Award at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. It also garnered multiple nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards, including Best First Film.

Quotes

• "You can't hate it unless you love it." - Jimmie
• "I always come back to the old house. What if it's empty? What if we just peeked inside?" - Mont

Music, Soundtrack

• Emile Mosseri composed the soulful and heartrending score for the film.
• The film’s soundtrack was released by Lakeshore Records in 2019.