'In LA, people don't touch. They're separated by glass and steel..'

Rating: 10/10 (24 July 2005)

and the only time they come into contact is by crash'. And with these words Paul Haggis tears open the box of CRASH, one of the most searingly vital and important films of the year. This is a film that explores prejudice, racism, fear, hate, bigotry, random violence and all of those barriers we people of the cities have erected to isolate ourselves from the miscegenated world in which we live. In Haggis' hands every possible form of miscommunication based on ignorance and transference of self-loathing is woven together in a story that mixes Caucasian, African American, Asia, Persian, Hispanic conflicts and lifestyles and the concurrent disruption of world views gone wrong into a pungent story of tragedy and collision.
Every character in this well-crafted script eventually confronts every other character in ways that are at times coincidental, at times, tangential, and at other times the direct result of prior confrontations. African Americans bully each other over their own prejudices, Caucasians belittle their Hispanic workers and are the first to point the finger at the 'tattooed gangsters' who in reality are innocent tradesmen, Persians terrorized on their property immediately aim their hate at other minority suspects, redneck racist policemen thrash out at African Americans in response to their own personal family demons that have eroded their outlook and extend that venom to the most innocent of the rookie cops who metamorphose into like habits. Every form of prejudice and hate is encountered and none of the characters is free from being both the perpetrator and the victim. It is as though the Golden Rule of 'Do unto others as you would have others do unto you' has been hideously transformed into a reason for violence.
Each member of this extraordinary ensemble acting team is outstanding form those with the largest parts to those whose presence is fleetingly meaningful. And some of the actors heretofore know as B actors rise to the level of brilliance under Haggis' knowing direction. Matt Dillon, Ryan Phillippe, Don Cheadle, Terrence Howard (here is a star!), Thandie Newton, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Larenz Tate, Loretta Devine (extraordinary!), Beverly Todd, Jennifer Esposito, Michael Pena (who delivers the most affecting scene in the film), Shaun Toub, Yomi Perry, Brendan Frasier, Sandra Bullock, Tony Danza, William Fichtner - indeed, the list of the entire cast should be included in the kudos.
People leave the theater stunned, tearful, informed, and incredulous, so great is the impact of this film. Much or that impact is aided by the brilliantly creative cinematography of James Muro and Dana Gonzales and by the powerful musical score by Mark Isham. This is quite simply one of the finest films of the year by anyone's standards. For those critics who descry Haggis' lack of providing 'Redemption' for the characters, this viewer would take offense: every character is altered either tangentially, directly, or referentially by the tightly woven tapestry that is CRASH. Recommended for everyone to see, internalize, and begin to make changes on our planet. Grady Harp