The Story of Crash - Movie Review Example

Film Critique: Crash                            The American feature film Crash written and directed by PaulHaggis released in May 2004. The film describes the incidents, which occur in a span of two days in the life of a variety of characters belonging to Los Angeles. The stories of the different characters are interwoven among themselves. The film derives its name from the fact that during the course of the film, the main characters get into physical and moral collisions with each other. The main characters include Graham, a police detective whose younger brother is a thief and whose mother has been drugged out, Rick, a fair skinned district lawyer along with his irritated and spoilt wife Jean, Anthony and Peter, a pair of car thieves who have their own theories and viewpoints about the racial issues in society, Ryan, a racist white experienced policeman who is taking care of his ailing father at home and who despises his idealist young partner Officer Hansen, this racist cop’s interactions with a successful Hollywood director Cameron and his spouse Christine, a migrant from Persia who acquires a gun for the protection of his shop, Daniel a Hispanic locksmith and his young daughter who is wary of revolvers and bullets and so on. Crash ideally explores the racial theme in the American society through the lives of the different characters.  Storytelling The story of Crash is narrated through the incidents, which occur in the lives of its various characters within a couple of days. The set of characters hail from different walks of life but find themselves crossing each other’s paths in the course of the movie. The film begins directly with the police detective on his way to investigate a murder. On his way, with his girlfriend Ria, their car gets involved in a traffic accident. Ria, promptly gets out of the car and begins abusing the Korean woman who was at the wheel of the other vehicle. The Korean woman also reacts vehemently to the verbal assault. Graham mutters to himself, that presently people have become so mechanical in their living that nothing affects them unless they collide with something. This consists of the central theme of the film. From then on, the film freely moves into the lives of the different characters where the life of each character is influenced in some way by racism. Acting       The film has a large ensemble of cast comprising of big stars like Sandra Bullock and Brendon Fraser.  Critics have opined that, the acting of the Crash has contributed significantly in bringing the director’s vision to reality. Though the film has a wide array of actors and actresses, each is given a small but significant role to portray. This trend has been noticed on the big screen before in the movies of directors like Robert Altman, John Sales, Spike Lee, Lawrence Kesdan (in his film “Grand Canyon”). Don Cheadle plays Graham, the police detective who becomes involved in the car accident at the beginning of the film. Jennifer Esposito portrays Ria, his girlfriend. Chris Bridges acts as Anthony and Larenz Tate pays Peter, the two black youths who receive inhospitable treatment at the restaurant and carjack the white couple. Brendon Fraser plays Rick, the fair skinned district lawyer and Sandra Bullock acts as Jean, his pampered wife. Jean is an extroverted racist who harbors issues against people from origins other than her own country. This role is quite unlike any of the roles that Bullock has portrayed so far on screen, and she puts in a spirited performance as the racist wife of the lawyer. Although both Fraser and Bullock have almost cameo roles, their contribution to the film is immense. Michael Pena plays the role of the Daniel, Hispanic locksmith who comes to the couple’s house for changing the locks. Matt Dillon plays abusive policeman Ryan, who first assaults the black woman and later goes on to save her by risking his own life. Ryan Philippe plays Officer Hansen, the young partner of Ryan. Terrence Howard plays the Hollywood television director and Thandie Newton acts as his glamorous wife Christine. Shaun Toub acts as the Persian merchant who wants to buy a gun for the security of his shop and Bahar Soomekh portrays his young daughter. Each of the actors has portrayed their respective roles marvelously, which have enhanced the dramatic effect of the film. Cinematography James Muro is the cinematographer of the film. The film relies heavily on its cinematography to create the impact of confusion and a state of restlessness in the eyes of the viewer. The cinematic style takes the help of blurred effects to exhibit these impacts on the big screen. While this remains the predominant style, the state of confusion is interspersed with dramatic incidents, which have far-reaching consequences. The significant happenings are filmed in a crisp and riveting style. Muro contrasts images of normal incidents with those of the dramatic occurances quite skillfully. Editing It was a huge challenge editing a film like Crash, which narrates its story through different incidents happening in the lives of its seemingly unrelated characters. Huges Winborne has accomplished this task wonderfully and the film won the Academy Award for the best editing in 2005.  The editing is crisp and sharp which helps the film to have the desired dramatic effect on its viewers. Winborne declares that it took him seven months to produce “the first cut” of the film. The Director Paul Haggis also assisted in the final editing, and the final version of Crash was 15 minutes shorter than Winborne’s original edited version.  Sound Mark Isham has scored the background score of the film. Apart from the music, a film usually relies on its background score to enhance its thematic effect. The electronic background effects of sound heighten crash’s central theme of confusion, collision and drama. It almost creates a sense of anxiousness among the viewers and they warily anticipate the next happenings on the screen. Isham has taken the help of elaborate orchestra and arrangements to create the sound of the movie. Synthesizers have helped to create lilting music, which transforms to pulsating tracks with the progress of the film. The film contains songs composed to enhance the thematic effect of the film.  Style and Direction       It is difficult to construct a film by interweaving different stories together that ultimately converge together. However, director Paul Haggis proves his expertise in doing so. He adopts a straightforward approach in dealing with the film and introduces his central theme of racial discrimination right at the start of the film. As the police inspector Graham is on his way with his partner Ria to investigate a murder, their car gets involved in a traffic accident. Ria starts abusing a Korean woman who was at the wheel of the other vehicle. Thus the viewers are given an idea about the central theme of the film, right at the opening sequence. Director Haggis then engages to follow the lives of his different characters and how the social issue of racial discrimination affects them. Haggis has been successful in portraying the anger, which is harbored by the victims of racism and how this wrath sometimes culminates into dangerous actions. Haggis has chosen a serious social issue as the theme of his film and handled it efficiently.       Some of Haggis’ predecessors like Robert Altman and Paul Thomas Anderson have earlier directed similar kind of movies. Some critics have stated that Haggis’ Crash has some things in common with Anderson’s film “Magnolia”. However, Paul Haggis has developed a style of his own in this genre and executed it with craftsmanship. Bobby Moresco has assisted Haggis with the writing of Crash (Haggis had earlier written the script of “Million Dollar Baby”)  Societal Impact Crash centers round the theme of racial discrimination, which is a serious social issue in the American society. USA has a long history of the prevalence of racicism in their social setting. There have been numerous books, publications and films dealing with the issue and Crash is one of them. Director Paul Haggis has wanted to make his audience aware that racial discrimination is still very much prevalent in the modern American society. The film was well received by the movie-going audience and was touted by the critics as one of the significant films of 2005. It won the Academy Award for the Best Picture of 2005. This clearly shows that American citizens have an acceptance for social-issue based films. They are aware of the existence of racial discrimination in their society and would probably like to make an effort to address the issue. That is why a film like Crash has found acceptance.  Genre       Crash is a social drama, which has its high moments of intensity. The movie begins Graham, a police detective who is on his way to investigate the murder, which has occurred on a Los Angeles Road. This sets the tone of the film where it gives the indication that it will explore serious social issues. In due course, the viewers are introduced to Anthony and Peter, two black youths who have just received inhospitable treatment in a restaurant because of their social race. They are seen discussing the incident with almost a tinge of amusement. Then the two men come across a formally dressed fair-skinned couple on the road: Rick, a district lawyer and his wife Jean. Jean instinctively reacts on seeing the two black men and clutches her husband tightly by the sleeve of his coat. This builds the tension in the air and Anthony mutters an abusive comment about “white” people. As if that was not enough, Peter and Anthony take out their guns and carjacks the couple leading them back to their SUV. This is definitely one of the dramatic moments of the film. It gives the viewers a shock and almost borders on absurdity.           The focus of the film then shifts to the fair-skinned couple Rick and Jean as the Director follows them home. Jean then expresses her dissatisfaction at her husband for not protesting against the carjackers. She also suggests that that changing the locks of the residence should tighten the security of their house. A Hispanic locksmith, Daniel comes to their place for changing the locks and yet again Jean’s racist instincts are awakened. She does not hesitate to utter racial abuses at the Daniel. Later the film also explores the personal front of Daniel where he is seen taking care of his young daughter. The story then shifts to Ryan, the fair skinned police officer who is on duty patrolling the streets of Los Angeles with the young policeman Office Hansen. Hansen is an idealist by nature. Officers Ryan and Hansen start investigating a parked car, as a part of their regular duty. Inside they discover a dark skinned couple: Cameron, a director of television and his glamorous wife Christine engaged in an intimate moment with each other. Officer Ryan begins to individually probe the two characters and takes advantage of the situation to physically molest Christine. Later in the night, while returning home, Christine expresses her anger at her husband Cameron for failing to protect her from Officer Ryan’s advances. Crash is full of such moments, which jolt the viewers out of their comfort zone. The film explores the dramatic incidents in the background of the American social fabric. It is essentially a social film as it traces the interactions of its main characters in the context of their social life. The film relies on drama to generate a stirring response from the viewers to the central social issue. Crash has many striking moments in the course of its narrative, which prods the viewer to contemplate about a burning social issue. Film Criticism and Analysis       Crash is a complex film to say the least. The film explores the actions and reactions of the main characters to the burning social issue of racial discrimination. It urges its viewers to think further on the relevant issues long after the movie has ended. There are no black and white characters in Crash, but everyone is endowed with a grey shade. Matt Dillon playing the racist policeman molests a young black couple Terrence Howard and Thandy Newton in the first half but saves the same black woman (Newton) by risking his life later. Don Cheadle, portraying the honest policeman protects a black man from being discriminated, but later discriminates against someone himself. Each of the characters is shown to possess positive as well as negative traits. This is reflective of the modern day society where we come across individuals having multi-layered characters. Director Paul Haggis has portrayed the traits of the contemporary society successfully against the backdrop of an important social issue. He has directed a powerful film, keeping the moral center of his work intact. At the beginning of the film, viewers could be discouraged by the somber and serious theme, but Haggis has gradually developed it into an engaging story. In fact, some of the characters are seen to embark on unexpected redemption acts, which give the film a different meaning altogether. For example Officer Ryan puts his own life in danger and saves the life of Christine, the black woman whom he had earlier assaulted. Ryan is also seen tendering to his sick father at home. Thus Haggis’ characters are not all black. They have their softer and sensitive sides too, which the director brings out later in the film. It is here where Haggis has scored. His film becomes a close reflection of the modern world where it is difficult to categorize people as “good” and “bad”. Human beings at the core of their hearts are said to possess a pure soul, but sometimes they become the victim of circumstances and indulge in self-depreciating acts.       Through the movie, Paul Haggis wants to convey to his viewers that even in the present day world, racial discrimination exists underneath the apparent social fabric of important cities of the USA. It is said that Haggis himself was carjacked once which provided him with the inspiration of writing and directing a film like Crash. However, his film does not only carry a grim message. He has exhibited that the human traits of kindness and benevolence can also exist beneath the layer of racial discrimination. The discrimination against people of other races has become a sort of an accepted norm in certain societies and the community people are seen adhering to this norm. However, in situations of emergency, the human race still has the courage to come forward and stand by persons in despair transcending the barriers of caste and creed. Crash is successful is portraying such a universal message.            Conclusion       Crash is a must-watch film for people who are fond of viewing serious cinema. It gives the viewers plenty to think about. Apart from being a medium of entertainment, cinema has always been considered as a medium for propagating social ideas and thus paving the way for social change. Crash examines the present society’s reactions to an important social issue. The film does not preach any social message but instead encourages its viewers to develop their own ideas about social matters. The film is an example of interesting, thought-provoking cinema that has the potential of emerging as a medium for future social change.                                                               Reference Haggis, P. (director) (2004), Crash [film], Los Angeles: Lions Gate Films  Read More

This role is quite unlike any of the roles that Bullock has portrayed so far on screen, and she puts in a spirited performance as the racist wife of the lawyer. Although both Fraser and Bullock have almost cameo roles, their contribution to the film is immense. Michael Pena plays the role of the Daniel, Hispanic locksmith who comes to the couple’s house for changing the locks. Matt Dillon plays abusive policeman Ryan, who first assaults the black woman and later goes on to save her by risking his own life.

Ryan Philippe plays Officer Hansen, the young partner of Ryan. Terrence Howard plays the Hollywood television director and Thandie Newton acts as his glamorous wife Christine. Shaun Toub acts as the Persian merchant who wants to buy a gun for the security of his shop and Bahar Soomekh portrays his young daughter. Each of the actors has portrayed their respective roles marvelously, which have enhanced the dramatic effect of the film. Cinematography James Muro is the cinematographer of the film.

The film relies heavily on its cinematography to create the impact of confusion and a state of restlessness in the eyes of the viewer. The cinematic style takes the help of blurred effects to exhibit these impacts on the big screen. While this remains the predominant style, the state of confusion is interspersed with dramatic incidents, which have far-reaching consequences. The significant happenings are filmed in a crisp and riveting style. Muro contrasts images of normal incidents with those of the dramatic occurances quite skillfully.

Editing It was a huge challenge editing a film like Crash, which narrates its story through different incidents happening in the lives of its seemingly unrelated characters. Huges Winborne has accomplished this task wonderfully and the film won the Academy Award for the best editing in 2005.  The editing is crisp and sharp which helps the film to have the desired dramatic effect on its viewers. Winborne declares that it took him seven months to produce “the first cut” of the film. The Director Paul Haggis also assisted in the final editing, and the final version of Crash was 15 minutes shorter than Winborne’s original edited version.

  Sound Mark Isham has scored the background score of the film. Apart from the music, a film usually relies on its background score to enhance its thematic effect. The electronic background effects of sound heighten crash’s central theme of confusion, collision and drama. It almost creates a sense of anxiousness among the viewers and they warily anticipate the next happenings on the screen. Isham has taken the help of elaborate orchestra and arrangements to create the sound of the movie. Synthesizers have helped to create lilting music, which transforms to pulsating tracks with the progress of the film.

The film contains songs composed to enhance the thematic effect of the film.  Style and Direction       It is difficult to construct a film by interweaving different stories together that ultimately converge together. However, director Paul Haggis proves his expertise in doing so. He adopts a straightforward approach in dealing with the film and introduces his central theme of racial discrimination right at the start of the film. As the police inspector Graham is on his way with his partner Ria to investigate a murder, their car gets involved in a traffic accident.

Ria starts abusing a Korean woman who was at the wheel of the other vehicle. Thus the viewers are given an idea about the central theme of the film, right at the opening sequence. Director Haggis then engages to follow the lives of his different characters and how the social issue of racial discrimination affects them. Haggis has been successful in portraying the anger, which is harbored by the victims of racism and how this wrath sometimes culminates into dangerous actions. Haggis has chosen a serious social issue as the theme of his film and handled it efficiently.

      Some of Haggis’ predecessors like Robert Altman and Paul Thomas Anderson have earlier directed similar kind of movies.

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