Score: 10/10
IMDb Score: 8.5/10
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A
chronicle of events when it all goes wrong. |
Everything about CRASH is woven masterfully with a beautiful
cast crafted together with sublime chemistry, which often fails
in movies where a lot of A-list actors are put together in one
film.
The movie entertained, it moved, it did what any good movie
does, it makes one look within. Pretty honest look at how humans
fail and falter stumble just trying to get home. Maybe God should
have given us some kind of instruction book, and I don't mean
the Bible. Maybe a wristwatch to the angels...
"Crash" is a complex movie with a simple premise: set in Los
Angeles it follows 8 main characters (and many, many more supporting)
from all walks of life and races whose lives intersect at some
point during one 24 hour period. These people are all different
yet all alienated, to the point of breaking, so much so that
when they come together, things explode. The complexity of the
film comes from the encounters between characters and their
tangled lives and worlds.
Haggis' screenplay is so intricate and delicately written I
couldn't begin to try to summarize the actual plot line (which
destines this article to be kind of vague), but everyone meets
everyone else at some point in the film (and there are a whole
lot of characters). Sufficed to say these meetings are variably
intense, casual, fleeting, dangerous, but they all effect the
participants in profound and provocative ways, causing lives
to find enlightenment or swerve violently, and watching it all
unfold is mesmerizing because Paul Haggis (Oscar Nominated writer
of Million Dollar Baby) made the film meaty with messy characters
and topics and stories to chew and hurtle along with.
The all-encompassing theme of the film is racism, and it is
dealt with bluntly, honestly, and without reservation. Every
single character participates in the perpetuation of the ugly
cycle but also suffers because of it. Where racism makes for
an interesting enough subject for an already provoking and fairly
experimental film (I was surprised to see this get wide release),
it's only the catalyst for a deeper, resounding story of redemption
and the universality of our lonely situation which the movie
becomes during its second hour (what you could call Act II).
It switches from a somewhat depressing contemplative amalgamation
of moments about racism in everyday life and how destructive
it is, to a throbbing, intense web of choices and consequences
-- life and death, vivifying or soul killing -- and the chance
at redemption. Following their actions in Act I, everyone meets
a fork in the road or is given a second chance of some sort.
Some take it, some don't, but regardless, by the end of the
movie everyone has changed. This is what gives the movie wings
during its second hour, makes it interesting, keeps you guessing
and on knife's-edge. It also gives the characters depth and
souls and shows that despite perceived and upheld differences,
when it comes down to it we aren't different (which we see in
a shattering scene between Ryan Philippe and Larenz Tate after
Tate notices that he and Philippe have the same St. Christopher
statue), in fact we desperately need each other. It's one of
the few films I've seen where everyone is at fault somehow and
yet there are no villains. It makes it hopeful, particularly
with something as ugly as racism: everyone's fallible, but everyone
has the capacity for good and nobility.
That said, each of these character's inner struggles makes
for all the conflict and resolution you need. A talented ensemble
drives the film, sharing almost equal amounts of screen time,
but the folks who really stood out and had my full attention
each time were Terrence Howard (plays a TV director), Matt Dillon
(as a patrol cop), Sandra Bullock (a rich housewife), , Don
Cheadle (a detective), and Michael Peņa (a locksmith). These
five gave deeply, deeply felt performances portraying a wide
range of emotions and personal situations, giving souls -- alone,
yearning, and searching in a world that doesn't seem to care
-- to shells of imperfect people. But the actors triumph in
little moments of human contact: a glance, an embrace, a pause,
a smile, a wince, things that breath the film to life and with
simple visuals give it profundity.
This is beautifully illustrated in a small scene between the
downward spiraling Jean (Sandra Bullock) and her maid after
she's begun to realize all her problems may not be about the
two black guys who car jacked her, but her own life.
Some closing notes: it's obvious it's a debut. At times the
dialogue and acting can be stilted and unnatural; some of the
initial "racial" situations seem forced; certain scenes could
have used some editing or fine tuning, but by the end I didn't
care. It also may be helpful to know that the first hour spends
its time setting everything up for Act II, although it will
seem more like a photo essay on racism than a setup. But by
the time Act I ends you're ready for something substantial to
happen, and at the perfect moment, stuff happens.
I was entirely satisfied with this movie, I couldn't have asked
for anything more. Still it's impressive, with his debut Haggis
made a film that magically maintains a storytelling balancing
act about people's lives that almost seamlessly flows, takes
an honest look at racism with an understanding of mankind, a
belief in redemption, and even hope. As I walked out of the
theater into the rainy night it resonated with me and colored
my thoughts as I made my way through the crowds of unknown fellow
people filling the cinema. That's about all I can ask for in
a film.
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