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The Last Black Man in San Francisco poster

Film · 2019

The Last Black Man in San Francisco

starring Jimmie Fails, Michael J. Gwynn and Jonathan Majors

  • 2 h 1 min
  • 15
  • Drama
  • USA
  • Released in the UK 24 October 2019

Synopsis

Jimmie Fails's dream is to reclaim the large Victorian house that he grew up in; the house that has been part of his family's DNA since his grandfather built in the centre of San Francisco in 1946. However, the house, located in San Francisco's gentrified Fillmore District, has drastically changed since Jimmie's youth, and the house is now owned by an old white couple who don't maintain the flower beds or paint their windows, leading to Jimmie surreptitiously doing it for them. Jimmie, meanwhile, lives on the very outskirts of the city with his best friend and aspiring playwright, Montgomery (Jonathan Majors, 'When We Rise'), who also mourns for the colourful city they once knew that has since been replaced by hipsters and technology companies, with the friends often reminiscing alongside Montgomery's elderly Grandpa Allen (Danny Glover, 'Lethal Weapon') whilst watching film noirs. Both men feels as though the community they've existed within for their whole lives has somehow forgotten them. For Jimmie, his grandfather's house becomes a highly coveted metaphor for the city that has left him behind.

'The Last Black Man in San Francisco' is directed by Joe Talbot ('American Paradise') and co-written with Jimmie Fails, who based the story off of their own childhood friendship in the Bay Area.

Where to watch The Last Black Man in San Francisco

All the options

Available now in the UK:

Availability checked on 8 November 2026.

The essentials

Runtime
121 min2 hours and 1 minute
Budget
$3mA24
Box office
$4.3m1.4 times its budget
Rating
15Suitable only for 15 years and over
How long is The Last Black Man in San Francisco?
2 hours and 1 minute (121 minutes).
When was The Last Black Man in San Francisco released in the UK?
It was released in the UK on 24 October 2019.
Who is in The Last Black Man in San Francisco?
It stars Jimmie Fails, Michael J. Gwynn, Jonathan Majors and Rob Morgan.
Where can I watch The Last Black Man in San Francisco?
In the UK it is available to rent on Apple TV and Prime Video.
How much did The Last Black Man in San Francisco make?
It took $4.3 million in US. It cost $3 million.
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Writers
Jimmie Fails
Cinematography
Adam Newport-Berra

Videos and trailers

See the video

Photos and posters

All 5 photos

Reviews

All 4 reviews

What the critics say average 9.8 from 3 outlets

  • 10 Roger EbertOdie Henderson "Jimmie?s story is a slow ballad, a tragic ode, a dirty limerick, a wistful lament and a heartbreaking elegy. It?s a tribute to the notion of home that we all carry. This is one of the year?s best… Read
  • 10 Time OutJoshua Rothkopf "The besieged spirit of an entire city infuses a remarkably ambitious indie, one that touches on gentrification, race and the places we call home." Read
  • 9.5 Rolling StoneDavid Fear "Funny, poignant, personal and a rage-filled valentine to a metropolis that?s seen its fair share of gentrification...the film delivers a haunted house story without the supernatural horror element… Read

Box office

Weekend by weekend
  • Budget $3m
  • US $4.3m

Soundtrack

All 13 songs
  1. Family ReunionJordan Gomes Spotify
  2. Let's Do Somethin' SmoothLondon Spotify
  3. Motherless ChildSweetwater Spotify
  4. San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)Michael Marshall Spotify
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