A Mesmerizing, Hard-Hitting, Drama About Racial Relations

Rating: 9/10 (23 January 2019)

7 May 2005. Easily and by the far the best movie in the first third of 2005, this likely to be awarded nominated racial drama scores high in the emotional punch in the soul department. The high tension and the heightened anger, frustration, and heated racial hatred are on fast forward throughout this movie. This is a no-holds barred movie with the language fast and loose, the women hot and heavy with their screaming and yelling and the men barely able to hold in their rage at the cruelty of the human condition. At the same time there is tenderness and humanity, the twists and curvatures turn back on themselves as the characters begin to relate to one another in unexpected ways not always with the best of results. Crash in probably on the best movies of the year, along with an unassuming but complementary score form Mark Isham (The Cooler). Sandra Bullock, Brandan Fraser, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Ryan Phillippe as well as the rest of the cast all gave outstanding performances. The only over-reaching, extreme moments are at the beginning as the feminine overdrive seems to be stuck on high as two of the female leads seem to represent the worse in women that we've all come to stereotype. There is also one subplot that seems to be underdeveloped that distractingly leaves lingering questions slowing the movie just a tad in several spots. But, nevertheless, first time director, Paul Haggis, of a full-feature film has a independent film hit on his hands. Nine out of Ten Stars.