well-done, but beats you into a corner with its "message"

Rating: 6/10 (6 October 2005)

Bearing no relation to the David Cronenberg film of the same name, Paul Haggis's "Crash" is a button-pushing film that shoves race discrimination in the viewer's face in a way that is both admirable and off-putting. When dealing with such issues, filmmakers tend to shroud themselves in a protective cloak that makes them invincible from negative criticism, as those who criticize, without careful justification, can be painted as being as racist as the characters in the movie. My central objection comes in the form of the sledgehammer subtlety with which the issue is presentednot that it doesn't deserve addressing in such a waythat causes the film to reek of "Oscar consideration," and thus removing some of its authenticity. Thematically, the extensive ensemble cast linked by scenes of racism that change their perceptions (a DA and his wife are carjacked at gunpoint; an Iraqi store owner is robbed; a black director releases his pent-up fury after witnessing his wife being molested by a corrupt cop; a detective investigates the murder of a young black man; a rookie policeman is hardened by two notable racial encounters), and the stories and the resulting fatal ironies that occur are well-done, with spectacular performances all around (Matt Dillon as a racist cop; Ludicrous as a paranoid petty criminal; Sandra Bullock as the DA's wife). Unlike 2003's "21 Grams," which also presented moral and emotional quandaries with the intent of telling a story from three equally-explored viewpoints, "Crash" is more prone to contrivance (that cop's demeanor really shifted drastically), especially when put against the gimmicky framework of a single "day in the life," which leads to plot developments that seem forced and inauthentic. Still, almost in spite of its overwhelming good intentions, "Crash" is compelling, unpredictable, and well-performed. It will provoke discussion and linger in your mind, which is an achievement in and of itself.