Directed by:
Paul HaggisCinematography:
J. Michael MuroComposer:
Mark IshamCast:
Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, William Fichtner, Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Ludacris, Thandiwe Newton, Ryan Phillippe (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
Crash uses a sophisticated, layered structure to tell the stories of a multi-racial group of characters in contemporary LA. As their lives inter-connect through a sequence of events around a car accident, we see their prejudices, tensions and hopes...and how tough yet uplifting life in the 'melting pot' can be. (Pathé Distribution UK)
Videos (2)
Reviews (11)
There are two free seats on the bus, one of them is next to a white guy, the other is next to someone with brown skin. Where would you sit? This film answers this and similar questions, hinting at the circumstances that lead to them. Is it racism or avoiding a risk from fears based on previous negative experiences? An often unnecessary but quite logical price of mixing nations together.
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Crash is perhaps the most honest (and most self-critical) cinematic depiction of a country’s problems. That is probably because Paul Haggis is a sensitive Canadian and is thus able to reflect the environment in which he lives as an expat better than someone who was born there. The film takes a broader view than, for example, 21 Grams, dramatically linking the life paths of several protagonists as it follows their stories from a greater distance without connecting them to a powerful motif. However, it is still emotionally powerful with many strong moments that remain in your memory. It doesn’t judge anyone, nor does it divide the characters into good and evil, instead depicting them as vulnerable beings controlled by dark forces. “You think you know who you are?”
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Find strength, courage, and a clear mind. And let yourself get caught up in the clash. It's harder than it seems, because you might have to overcome some prejudices. Not necessarily the racial ones that Paul Haggis talks about, but purely cinematic ones. It requires rising above contrivance, incredibility, or potential calculation. This creative team certainly isn't aiming for that. There were times when I couldn't find a single wrong word to say about Crash, thanks to its sincerity and persuasiveness, and even though I now understand that everything fits together perhaps a bit too easily and not all the storylines are masterfully told, even ten years after its sensational Oscar triumph, it remains painfully relevant and timeless. The actors, the script, the perfectly captivating yet unobtrusive music, and one of the most flawless scenes I have ever seen, "I'll protect you", are responsible for that. And it's a scene that nobody who has seen the film will forget.
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I've seen this movie a couple of times and I’m sure I'll see it a few more times because I simply enjoy it. The atmosphere and the story are nice, but what gets me the most are the characters. No one is just black or white (I mean character), everyone has been given an interesting mixture of traits, which is what makes this movie so great. I don’t think a movie like this would get away with it today, though. It does revolve around racial prejudice, but the only ones whose lives matter don't come off as complete good guys, which is where the problem lies. There were plenty of emotionally charged scenes. Thankfully, I didn't feel like someone was trying to forcefully jerk tears out of me.
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Racism and xenophobia in all possible forms in cosmopolitan Los Angeles in the period leading up to Christmas. The storytelling style is similar to Magnolia, especially as far as how the separate stories end up interweaving with each other. Primarily toward the end we get a couple of really powerful moments, effectively supported by excellent music... Despite everything, I couldn’t get over the feeling that it was all too superficial and intended only for effect, which is a shame.
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