Get ready for roller coaster of racism

Rating: 9/10 (16 May 2005)

This movie is an absolute must see. I didn't know much about it when I went into see it. The trailers for it were very obscure and didn't tell you much about the film. Trust me, this is a good thing. Because of this, you're not expecting the many twists and turns that will constantly bombard you through out the film. If you liked the pace of "Snatch", and the character development of "Traffic", this movie will definitely keep you engaged. Although this movie has many well known actors/actresses; including a very pretentious Sandra Bullock, a level minded Ryan Phillipe, that sleaze ball Matt Dillon, the gorgeous Jennifer Espisito, Oscar nominated Don Chedle, a surprisingly humorous role from Ludicrous, and many others, amazingly, no one steals the show. It seemed as though each scene was dominated only by the characters in it. This is what separates it from most other films. In a post 9/11 world, everyone is on edge when dealing with races other than their own. The characters are quick to judge others based solely on stereotypes they've come to believe. Racial epithets are used as soon as a character feels like they are being threatened, dis-empowered, or as a joke. The story carries on as each characters life intersects and affects another characters life and story. It was genius to place this movie in the epicenter of diverse ethnic backgrounds and clashing cultural encounters; Los Angeles. If anyone has seen "Collateral", you'll remember that one of the reasons so many of the murders in that movie were successful was that L.A. is such a disconnected city when it comes to socialization that no one cares what is happening in someone else's life. Although there is an overall sense of disconnectedness in the film, its funny how at the end, everything falls in place and you have come full circle. Another smart move by director Paul Haggis was not including any subtitles, this way only the specific culture in the audience who speaks the same language as the character will understand what they are talking about, just like in real life. This movie connects people.
Like many other pictures before it, Crash tries to illustrate to the audience what it feels like to be the minority. However, with this film, everyone in the audience is the minority. It doesn't leave anyone out of it. Black, white, brown, yellow,  Asian, Middle-Eastern, Latino, African; everyone steps into each other's shoes for 115 minutes. Just about any racial statement or stereotype is brought out in the film. There is no hero, there is no super-villain, there is not one character you absolutely despise, and no one you cheer for. Do not expect to come out of this movie anticipating someone has won a battle. No race comes out on top, it shows us how any race is willing to make judgments about others even if they have been oppressed before. It is also a film about redemption. By the end, of the film, a few people you wish wouldn't die, do, other who you wouldn't expect to do good deeds, do, others find redemption spiritually, and some find it through a friend.
If you haven't seen it yet, you better soon.