We affect each other

Rating: 8/10 (11 December 2010)

This fast paced, thought provoking film may very well change the way you see the strangers you encounter on a daily basis. Directed by Paul Haggis and starring Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Ludicrous, Brendan Fraser, Matt Dillon, Ryan Phillipe, Michael Peña, Shaun Toub, Cameron Thayer, Thandie Newton and many other wonderful actors, Crash (2004), gives you a glimpse into the lives of a district attorney and his wife; a cop who knows he's racist and one who believes he is not; a Latino locksmith and his young daughter; a black detective, his Puerto Rican partner/lover, and his drug addicted mother; a film director and his wife; a high strung Asian woman and her seemingly unlucky husband; two philosophical young black men who steal cars; and a Persian shopkeeper, his wife, and his daughter.
Over a twenty-four hour period you learn how these eight sets of otherwise unconnected people move in and out of each other's lives, altering the course of them for better or worse. The movie boldly addresses racial and social stereotypes—at times upholding them—but usually contradicting them. More importantly however, the film focuses on how as human beings we may have our differences, but we are much more alike than we are different.
Not since The Breakfast Club (Hughes, 1985) have I seen a film so thoroughly remove the prejudiced lens through which we view others. We are all connected, and we all affect each other, whether we realize it or not. The movie progresses quickly and is never boring. It is full of surprises and keeps you guessing throughout. At times funny and at times poignant, I both laughed and cried during parts of this film.
Everything about this film is good; the acting, the cinematography, the soundtrack, and the unfolding of events. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't yet seen it. I actually watched it twice so that I could experience it with someone else who I knew would enjoy it. I seldom watch a movie twice.