Crash Touches

Rating: 10/10 (9 February 2006)

Few movies are thought provoking. Paul Haggis's "Crash" is conscience provoking. In the opening scene of "Crash" Don Cheadle as Detective Graham says, "In L.A. nobody touches you." Director Paul Haggis and co-writer Robert Moresco touch and inspire in their stark and uncompromising story of bigotry, racism, and prejudice. Haggis and Moresco illustrate through the chaos of colliding characters the prejudice that exists in all of us. Prejudice is not really good or bad, rather it just doesn't work. Haggis and Moresco also celebrate the possibility of the best in peoplethe part that is noble, courageous, selfless, and forgiving. In his directorial debut, Paul Haggis is bold and brilliant. The cast which includes Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Terrance Howard, Brendan Fraser, Thandie Newton, and Ryan Phillipe is impeccable.
With its intertwining narrative threads "Crash" is truly the director's medium. Haggis is uncompromising in his portrait of prejudice in both broad and subtle strokes. The effect is powerful. Two young black men, Anthony (Ludacis) and Peter (Larenz Tate), carjack the Navigator owned by district attorney Rick (Brendan Fraser) and his wife Jean (Sandra Bullock). Following a lead on the stolen Navigator, police officers Ryan (Matt Dillon) and Hanson (Ryan Phillipe) stop Navigator driver Cameron (Terrence Howard) and his beautiful wife Christine (Thandie Newton) for really no good reason. Ryan crosses the line and literally violates Christine in front of an impotent Cameron. Persian store owner Farhad (Shaun Toub) and his daughter Shereen are labeled Arab by a gun store owner when they purchase a handgun to protect Farhad's store. Hispanic locksmith Daniel (Michael Pena) is dismissed by an angry Farhad, when Daniel recommends that he repair the store door, because the replaced locks only are insufficient. Graham (Cheadle) and his partner and lover Ria (Jennifer Esposito) are investigating a the shooting of an undercover cop. Graham is also taking care of his ailing mother, and has a brother who is career liability.
The surprise and power of "Crash" is in the story unfolding. This is intended not to give anything way. Haggis eloquently and poignantly reveals that all is not what it seemspointing to our own prejudgment. The beauty of "Crash" is that we the audience gets to walk in "another's shoes". Sandra Bullock is amazing and compelling as the seemingly unsympathetic rich bigoted wife Jean. Her Jean has a realization: "I am angry all the time and I don't know why." The catharsis for her is that she is the reason she is so alone. Matt Dillon is electrifying as Officer Ryan, who is both an enforcer of stereotypes and a man capable of great courage and compassion. Don Cheadle is a commanding presence. His Graham is caught in a racially black and white world, where decisions are gray. Cheadle has this quiet strength of will and profound humanity as he makes things work with Ria (Esposito), his mother, and his life. No one gets out unscathed. No one is the villain. Everyone is humanthe great paradox. Shakespeare said of Man, "the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?" "Crash" depicts our individual prejudices, and also our innate nobility and capacity for compassion. Through "Crash" Haggis seems to say that it comes down to choice. "Crash" is an absolutely powerful movie that lives with you well beyond the screen.