Not to be confused with the David Cronenberg film of the same name, this film takes a different approach, yet retaining the car crash motif. I found this to be an incredible piece of filmmaking, yet I am finding it difficult to find the right words to use in a review. I toyed with the idea of not writing about this film, but I think I would be doing a disservice to a film which deserves to be seen, so I have decided to take a shot at it and give some thoughts regarding it.
The first time I became aware of this movie was by passing a cardboard standee at the local cineplex. It had the title, of course, and listed Sandra Bullock as the star. I was intrigued, the title is word that can conjure up a multitude of meanings, but it is a word of excitement. A word like crash, when used as a title is bound to stir up some curiosity. Then I saw it reviewed on Ebert & Roeper, where they essentially raved about it, they showed a clip featuring Bullock and Brendan Fraser in a heated conversation about the Latino who was changing their locks, and another where Don Cheadle has just insulted his lover, Jennifer Esposito. These two clips stirred up a great deal of curiosity and wanting to see the film, the clips gave examples of a film that didn't pull any punches, shining a light on the bigotry that is around us, even if it is not meant, and even if it is.
This weekend the film opened, and I made a point of going to see it. The film stirred up many feelings within me during it's run. There was disgust, anger, sympathy, sadness, happiness, disbelief, everything was running through me. I also realized that there wasn't really any sort of plot tying all of the characters together, they were all interlocked in one way or another, but they weren't all working towards an end. The film is more a microcosm of society, we all know that there are people like this in the world, but by focusing on them in a small segment of society, in this case Los Angeles, we cans ee the results of them interacting with each other. This, of course, calls for the script itself to have a number of coincidences strewn through it, but they are easy to ignore as the cast of characters are so compelling.
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Article comments
1 - Film Cynic
the contrivances are besides the point because it is an exercise not a story, really. it also a film that treats the audience as idiots.
2 - Chris Beaumont
How so?
3 - Film Cynic
POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR ACTUAL IDIOTS:
The fact that an insert shot of the box of blanks needed to be included shows how little Haggis trusts the viewer. That kind of stuff annoys me.
4 - Chris Beaumont
OK, I'll give you that. It didn't bother me much, or maybe I am just used to that kind of reveal from a Hollywood film, much like the bullet proof vest reveals.
5 - Jack
22 August 2005
I just saw the film Crash yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it to be a very entertaining, absorbing and clever film.
One point I did not understand was why did Ryan Phillipe (young white cop) kill the black lad to whom he gave a lift (Larenz Tate?) ?
What do you think the reason was for this, in the context of the film?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Many thanks,
Jack
6 - absi
Ryan Phillipe kills Larenz Tate because he feels unsure of his actions, and is affraid that he is going to be injured or killed by the black lad, because black people in a city such as LA are seen as violent