The Last Black Man in San Francisco         4 ½ stars

The Last Black Man in San Francisco is a great quality film by some relative newcomers to the industry that is a tribute to the city that they love.  Young actor Jimmie Fails plays a black man of the same name who lives with his best friend, Mont and Mont’s blind grandfather in a tiny rundown house.  Both of them have jobs but the two of them seem to spend all their time together.  Jimmie has an attachment to the old family house, an old Victorian mansion that is now in a gentrified neighborhood so all of the black families have been forced out.  But this doesn’t stop Jimmie from tending to the house without the approval of the rich white owners.  We get plenty of background story about Jimmie’s family and the plight of many in the black community including how some of them live near a toxic dump that is in the process of being cleaned by the government.  The cinematography is outstanding as it shows us a great deal of the city’s beauty and the people that live there and keep it interesting.  The director, Joe Talbot, tells us a story about friendship and what those friends will do for each other.  He also describes a people who have a love for a city even while that city seems to be leaving them behind.  The movie does have a long running time at 2 hours and has scenes that seem to run on for a long time.  Much credit must be given to the lead actor, Jimmie Fails for some intense acting.  The movie was honored by receiving the US Dramatic Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival.