Teachers of fiction sometimes talk about setting as a character in a story. That's exactly what we have here. Those who say it's boring or a "typical hood movie" don't know much about Oakland -- or similar environments -- from the inside out.
The movie argues that people don't have many real choices. Some IMDB reviewers say the characters lack the will to overcome hardships. It's some of both, but if you've done more than drive through the city, you'll know there's a constant grimness to what you see and hear, even on sunny days, even when the Warriors held their parades. People live shortchanged, mocked by the Bay Area's natural beauty, by the once-majestic houses that stand throughout the town, even in "the hood."
People on both sides of the law are hard. Simply turning a corner onto a street where other drivers have chosen to stop and talk (and eff your hurry to get somewhere) can lead to violent conflict. Going into a 7-11, an auto parts store, whatever, can mean navigating strangers who put you on the spot with "fighting words."
The motor homes and tents of the homeless are everywhere. If you ask why the cops don't move them along, the answer is "they've got way too much else more important to do."
When you wake up every morning in that environment -- with routine everyday decisions carrying the potential to turn meaningful -- life becomes constant edgy irritation. The characters in "All Day..." face interactions with place as much as with the other characters. Like another recent movie set in the town, "Blindspotting," this movie captures the grind. And yeah, perhaps at the expense of more violence than needed and a slowish plot, but it tells the story in set out to tell.
