Don't rush to judgement

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2006)

If you haven't yet seen 'Crash', please do. Not because it won an Oscar for Best Picture but because it's one of those rare films that will leave you thinking about it long after the credits have rolled.
'Crash' opens with a somewhat-dazed passenger inside a car contemplating human interaction in Los Angeles: "In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something."
His partner, Ria, quickly dismisses his ramblings as a side-effect of the car crash that they have just survived. But should she be so quick to come to that conclusion? A few seconds later, she steps out of the car and engages in a confrontation with the woman driver who had rear-ended them; her angry & offensive outburst is certainly not going to help the situation...
This sets the tone for the film - a social commentary that shows how many of us are quick to jump to conclusions (often using existing prejudices or stereotypes as fuel the fire), shows how we often don't consider - or care - how our choice of actions and words are perceived by others, and the consequences that may follow as a result.
'Crash' is a powerful, complex and clever film that presents its story in a somewhat unique manner. We ride along with an ensemble cast of close to 20 central characters of varying ethnicities, whose lives accidentally overlap over the course of the 2 days that we are privy to.
Is the scenario 'realistic'? Probably not - but that's not the point.
The film is not perfect, but its few flaws should not detract from the overall experience. There are moments of truth, moments of humour, moments that may shock you, moments that will touch you, and moments that will surprise you. And, there are also many moments that will appear all-too-obvious. That's kinda of the point though - we 'stereotype' things because we've seen it all before. Sometimes we're right, and sometimes we're wrong - but the important thing to realize is that if we rush to judgement, there may be consequences..
Many people say that 'Crash' is a film /about/ racism due to the character's conflicts which all revolve around race. Viewers who can look beyond 'race' and keep an open mind throughout and who consider how things might have turned out differently had the characters attitudes and/or actions been different - will likely enjoy the film. Viewers who jump to conclusions within the first 20 minutes - will not. And that's a shame, because it is precisely those people who are apt to jump to conclusions who could likely learn the most from 'Crash'.
8.5/10