The Last Black Man in San Francisco
A visually rapturous portrait of a young San Franciscan fighting to reclaim an ancestral home as his city and community are transformed by gentrification.
Overview
A poignant exploration of identity and belonging in a rapidly changing city.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- wistful
- haunting
- lyrical
- reflective evening
- independent film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an affecting, visually ravishing, and emotionally resonant debut that interweaves poetic style with a timely portrait of San Francisco in flux.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
San Francisco's streets, houses, neighborhoods, and changing cultural landscape are treated as an active force in Jimmie's search for belonging.
The Victorian house Jimmie idealizes and the city's visual textures transform personal history into visual poetry.
Jimmie's family has been dispersed while the neighborhood around his grandfather's house has been gentrified and radically repriced.
Montgomery houses Jimmie, supports his attempt to reclaim the old house, and develops a play that processes their shared world.
Films like The Last Black Man in San Francisco, and why
Moonlight
poetic urban drama about displacement, friendship, and a city undergoing social transformation
Medicine for Melancholy
intimate contemporary drama pairing male friendship with marginalized identity and lyrical visual storytelling
Blindspotting
gentrification-focused drama blending personal memory, community history, and a changing american city
Mid90s
stylized coming-of-age drama about place, belonging, and emotionally intense friendship
Movie Details
- Director
- Joe Talbot
- Release Date
- 2019-06-07
- Runtime
- 121 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (376)
Cast
- Jimmie Fails
- Jonathan Majors
- Rob Morgan
- Tichina Arnold
- Mike Epps
- Finn Wittrock
- Danny Glover
- Willie Hen
- Jamal Trulove
- Antoine Redus
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Last Black Man in San Francisco about?
- A visually rapturous portrait of a young San Franciscan fighting to reclaim an ancestral home as his city and community are transformed by gentrification.
- What is The Last Black Man in San Francisco like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Last Black Man in San Francisco as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Last Black Man in San Francisco violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Last Black Man in San Francisco as mild.
- What did critics think of The Last Black Man in San Francisco?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an affecting, visually ravishing, and emotionally resonant debut that interweaves poetic style with a timely portrait of San Francisco in flux.
- Which films are like The Last Black Man in San Francisco?
- Films with a similar feel include Moonlight, Medicine for Melancholy, Blindspotting, and Mid90s.
- How long is The Last Black Man in San Francisco?
- The Last Black Man in San Francisco runs 121 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Last Black Man in San Francisco?
- In United States, The Last Black Man in San Francisco is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
