Every human being has a story behind the surface

Rating: 9/10 (9 May 2005)

My beef with film in general is that the media tends to depict minor characters as more or less pre-programmed. I always thought that even the minor characters still have a life of their own, and to have them on the screen for a few seconds is somehow not doing them justice; that is to say, I wished a movie would flesh out the characters more, allowing us to see their complex life past a brief encounter with the "main" characters.
Having watched "Crash," I realize it's a real wish-come-true for me. Not that it's the first time a network of events has connected strangers to each other in a film, but it does so well in bringing the characters to life. The story explores racial issues with understanding, not with judgment (this quality is similar to the critically acclaimed "Do the Right Thing"). The major characters explored range from hypocrites and spoiled brats to misinformed immigrants, none of which ultimately lacks compassion, but they are also not immune from ignorance, selfishness, and making mistakes, which lead to their suffering as well as others' suffering. Characters develop gradually as the plot progresses, reinforcing the VERY IMPORTANT notion that human beings are complex creatures that cannot be understood by first impression. Characters will surprise us as we learn more about them. For example, just when we think we know all about a cop who demonstrates contempt for a minority group (which would probably be the typical one-dimensional character in a less respectable work), we learn that his father was pro-minority and had worked diligently alongside that minority group for 30 years before losing his job due to affirmative action adversely impacting his father, a white male. Do we have the right to condemn this cop for being bitter towards a group who contributed to his father's misfortune? The same cop, with unconditional bravery, later saves a Black woman whom he had sexually harassed before. What was racing through his mind when he put his life aside, racing against time to pull her out of a crashed car that could explode any minute?
This film isn't simply about redemption either; people don't necessarily get rewarded when they achieve something worthwhile (which is sad but realistic). It's trying to tell us HOW different racial groups struggle to fit in the melting pot known as America, and WHY their interactions create barriers with each other. No solution is proposed, as no artist could replace a problem as intense as racial bitterness in a universe surrounded by ignorance and self-interest, and recognizing and reducing these unhealthy qualities is probably the purpose of creating and distributing this film. The only suggestive gesture by the filmmaker is several scenes of slightly stylized lighting and editing to reflect spirituality or enlightenment, a sign that perhaps these qualities can transform people into appreciating diversity.
With the modern world supposedly bringing diverse people closer, "Crash" is a gem that depicts racial struggle as an inevitable course, and this inevitability is reinforced by the ending scene of an accident easily resulting in racist name calling, especially when the racist in this scene has been a victim of racism previously. Perhaps the biggest reward for me comes from the fact that there is no main character, and whether locksmith or district attorney of the largest city in the west coast, they are afforded equal characterization. Therefore we have the rare opportunity to look into the lives of passers-by beyond their introduction to understand how they fit in this highly complex melting pot by a network of events--events that may be unpleasant and yet valuable lessons.