One to make you think

Rating: 8/10 (31 August 2005)

Crash is a powerful movie about the perception of minorities in modern society, a riff on racism that challenges stereotypes and the way in which we, as human beings, are prone to make assumptions based on the appearance of an individual, often playing off of pre-conceived idea's that have been embedded into us from an early age.
Opening with a car crash, we then backtrack to yesterday, as an ensemble cast's lives intertwine in the diverse density of the L.A. metropolis. But, unlike Magnolia, Crash is less interested in the ways in which fate and chance dictate everyday events, and more with how bigotry and racial tension exists in every corner of this multi-cultural melting pot. Where Crash is most successful is in how it challenges certain racial stereotypes and how it subsequently portrays the effects racism has on everyone's lives. It's not just a simple case of white vs. black. It goes much deeper, as we realise that intolerance is widespread and isn't confined to the white middle classes, that it exists between all colours, all races, all cultures. The finger of blame is easiest to point at somebody who doesn't look like you, who doesn't have your upbringing. Because of this, they must be in the wrong, right? Matt Dillon's veteran cop has this outlook. His father lost everything because of minority rules and he holds a deep grudge against all blacks, regardless of age, sex or profession. Yet this bigotry is awkwardly juxtaposed between his genuine care for his sick father and his honour and duty as an officer of the law, something he later demonstrates during a life or death situation. Director and writer Paul Haggis twists the stereotypical views further with the characters of Terrence Howard, a young, black film-maker and Michael Pena, who gives an outstanding & extremely subtle performance as Daniel, a young Hispanic locksmith with a wife and young daughter, with whom he shares one of the films most touching moments. In fact all of the cast do a fine job with their roles, even Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, in an attempt to branch out, providing some of the funnier moments of the movie with his musings on black oppression. And lets not forget Don Cheadle, as a cop who finds his integrity challenged after investigating a messy bout of cop on cop action.
Ultimately though, the thing that will stay with you the longest is the simple message that shines throughout the film. "Don't judge a book by its cover." Every character displays the devil inside of them but it's only one part, there is good in everyone, it just needs an outlet, an opportunity to break through. As the film reaches its climax we are forced to consider how we look at people in everyday life. How we label and pigeonhole certain cultures, certain races, into one group, with no distinction between the good and the bad. In an increasingly paranoid world, where we are being schooled in how to be suspicious of unfamiliar practices and alien customs, Crash serves as a hard reminder that while we must be careful in our own daily lives, we must be equally cautious not to discriminate and adversely affect the lives of many hard working, decent citizens just because of the actions of a few.
If there are any gripes with the film (and these will be minor) it's that what your watching is a collection of vignettes, snippets of these characters lives beamed direct to your brain for your benefit, and not a cohesive story that links seamlessly between strands, in the vein of the excellent Magnolia. At the end of the film characters have reached resolutions, but these aren't earth shattering, life changing epiphanies, rather smaller, more personal realisations that will, you assume, change their way of future thinking. Like much of the movie, it uses a lo-fi approach to the drama, making the final payoff that much more powerful and ultimately, delivering the emotional kick necessary to immerse the audience within this world.