The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) is directed by Joe Talbot. This film is founded on cultural biases, but in a manner that is non-threatening and unobtrusive. The story itself is by Talbot and the lead actor Jimmie Falls, who essentially plays himself because his character’s name in the film is Jimmie Falls. What is essential to this film is that both Talbot and Falls are lifelong friends who grew up in the heart of San Francisco. In other words, they are generational San Franciscans who are telling a story of the culture of their city and life.
The culture of San Francisco is portrayed by every visual component in the frame. Not only is the film shot on location in the hills and streets of San Francisco, but also, the color palette of the film reflects San Francisco. A majority of the colors on screen are orange and black or red and gold, which represent San Francisco’s baseball and football teams: the San Francisco Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. Even the characters are dressed either in red or orange or have a Giants hat on, which emphasizes the importance of sports culture to this city.
The film also portrays San Francisco skate culture, as Jimmie gets by only with his skateboard. San Francisco is known to be a renowned playground destination for street skaters and skate culture. With skate culture comes streetwear, and Jimmie is always dressed in skate shoes, baggy clothes, and his favorite beanie. In this manner, the film gives representation to skate culture as a commonality and lifestyle rather than a taboo or lowly practice that it’s often depicted as.
Finally, my personal bias is evident with this film. One fun fact is that I’ve visited the actual John Coop House, a house where a majority of the film was shot at or around. I was born in the Bay Area and have always been a die-hard Giants fan. The city of San Francisco holds my memories of youth and sports and is a place I’ll never get tired of. The culture of San Francisco is in everything from the architecture, to the coffee, to the youth, and more. What I love about San Francisco is that everyone is capable of loving it. There’s no need to fit in or stake your place because everyone has a different face, a different color, or a different background. This gives San Francisco an internal beauty, despite its obvious external beauty. Diversity is its high point, which is reflective of San Francisco culture in itself. For it to be a cultural melting pot, a national landmark city, and a social gathering point with a locally-incorporated economy, San Francisco definitely has my bias.
Comments