Astonishing

Rating: 10/10 (9 February 2006)

This is a brave and profound film about racism, class division, and the mistrust that comprises a big piece of modern American society. It is a movie that should start completely new conversations about where we are headed in these three areas and how we can improve the journey.
Crash gives us so many ethnic stereotypes without apology that we are forced to acknowledge their sheer honesty. As someone well-known has already said, the reality is that stereotypes exist because they are true. The confounding aspect of stereotyping is that it is one-dimensional. In Crash we see the other underlying textures of human beings and that glimpse of humanity is what moves the story to an enlightening level. There is a rarely seen suggestion that someone who has racist attitudes can also be a decent person and that some minorities do - and some don't - react unreasonably when confronted with a racist jab. There is a depiction of immigrants that runs the gamut from violent to distasteful to wondrous. This refusal to compromise and be politically correct is the cornerstone for the film's heartfelt plea to resolve our differences here in the melting pot that is America. There are also stereotypes of rich and poor and in-between and the frustrations of all of them as they try to grasp some measure of contentment in their lives while dealing with societal and bureaucratic structures.
The theme of mistrust is so thick you can taste it. No one trusts anyone, not husbands & wives, not business partners, not cop partners, not fathers & daughters, not mothers & sons, not between thieves, and least of all between different cultures. However, the movie doesn't merely show us the mistrust, it also shows us why we mistrust. Emotional connections are formed between unlikely characters, some who may never see each other again, which enhances the feeling of hope that is the glinty residue of this film. One of the many stunners of this story is that nearly every character was so wrong about something essential in their lives and this serves, whether consciously or subconsciously, as a jolt for the audience. It shows us big flaws across the board and is an impetus for self-examination.
The casting of the film is pure genius in itself. Haggis avoided paparazzi-grade stars and used a mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces anchored by the powerful talent of Don Cheadle. Each and every actor, from major-to-supporting-to-bit-parts, delivered an amazing performance. How Haggis did this with such a large ensemble boggles the mind and combined with the overall direction, editing, and an engrossing script that is full of surprises, should indeed guarantee an Oscar - not just one, but in all these categories.
Crash is a cinematic milestone and breathtaking to behold. Don't miss it.