All too obvious representation of racism

Rating: 6/10 (12 April 2006)

I must admit that I didn't run out to see this film during its cinematic release in Australia, and only ended up viewing it on Cable TV. My main criticism of Crash is that its theme (racism) is too obvious. Subtly is an art form in cinema and difficult to achieve. Crash presents a view of Los Angeles as a city full of racism, but to its credit, examines all of the characters and gives them depth. The racist cop is also represented as a caring son, the 'liberal' minded cop ends up perpetuating all that he hates. However, despite the relatively interesting dichotomies in many of the characters, I still had difficulty with the 'blatent' nature of the theme. There were basically no scenes that didn't re-in force the basic tenet of the film, leaving the viewer with a feeling of being slapped around the face by the end. Maybe this was the aim? Maybe American culture has become so obsessed with racism, that these kinds of representations are necessary in a film of this kind. Despite my hesitations, I still felt that Crash has a lot to offer with a fantastic ensemble cast. I loved the Iranian shop owner and the Latino locksmith and the interplay that racism isn't always white vs everyone else. That racism is a multi-layered reality and, despite its abhorrence, may be easier to understand, just not easier to forgive.