Crash Drama Film - Movie Review Example

Sur Visual Arts and Film Studies Crash (a 2004 film) is a drama film that is characterized by social tension and racial tension in Los Angeles. Real-life incidences inspired the crash film. Paul Haggis, who is a co-writer, producer and director of the film, was carjacked just outside a video store in Wilshire Boulevard. There were several character stories that interlaced during the few days that he spent in Los Angeles. These characters comprise a colored detective who separated from his mother, his gang associate and young brother who happens to be a criminal. Another Crash character was the district attorney and his aggravated spoilt wife. There was also a white police official who appeared very discriminative among others. Crash is very different from other films that are racially based in its unbiased approach to the issues regarding race. Instead of splitting characters into criminals and victims, race targets are often exposed to prejudice themselves in different states and contexts. Additionally, racist actions and remarks are shown to have developed from misconception and ignorance rather than a vindictive personality. This paper will examine Crash movie by deliberating the different theoretical aspects of the American culture that are portrayed in the movie. In addition, the paper will compare the movie with other country’s race relation and finally, a comparison will be made with another race-related movie. Racism is prevalent in every fragment of America. In Los Angeles, it is extensive. Crash attempts to explore the stereotypes and different racial attitudes of Los Angeles people. Despite the fact that this plan is primarily based on Paul Haggis, as he undertakes that racism is in all cities since he experienced racism more in Los Angeles, it does not change the reality that racism is prevalent in almost every State in America. In this movie, racial responsiveness has been significantly promoted. However, just like any other race conversation, it requires considerable close scrutiny. The film is dissimilar in that upon watching any other film, one gets stuck on the intensity of the usage of resources. The realism in the movies is very difficult to describe. Although not in a descriptive way, crash film displays reality. Crash has an Altmanesque, Mosaic narrative. In other words, the movie is fitting to describe characters, and their respective actions as the movie defined them in that manner. For illustration, Matt Dillon is a perceived as a racist cop. Ryan, who is seen pulling a light –skinned black couple for performing fellatio, is also a racist. It pilots to a cringe-inducing view where Jack is seen humiliating the wife as his husband watches the drama, helpless and equally humiliated as his wife. Then director of this film was bringing out how helpless people are when it comes to racial discrimination. Individuals are very sensitive when it comes to family matters. Simply, the writer of the film was trying to show the extent at which people’s law has gone regarding race cases. The relationship of the couple is now loaded with fruitless argument and tension. They assume that they know more regarding being black in America over the others. The movie also presents Michael Pena- a Hispanic locksmith who is accused by an Iranian store owner, Shaun Toub together with an acrid woman by the name Jean of being a thief. Jean had just been carjacked, and the locksmith is just a simple family man who is attending to his duties. The latter is the least pleasant person on earth. There is also a police detective by the name Graham whose mother happens to be a drug user and a complicated brother who wobbles in the streets. Graham is involved in a romantic relationship with Ria, who is Latina, even though she represents a mix of Hispanic culture and Latino. The author of the film incorporated their relationship status intentionally to show how racism was widespread. Relationships are also racial-based. For instance, Graham is a Hispanic and therefore he is having a romantic relationship with Ria, who is also a Hispanic. Whites were having relations with whites; blacks had relationships with blacks among other races. Haggis presents Crash as a representation of multi- racial attitudes in cities where everything is based on greed, color, and race. Everything in this film revolves around races. In fact, there are various critics labeling this movie as a liberal propaganda while other says that the movie is unrealistic. Although some scenes have a fiction element, the movie exposes what is happening in the world. The difference is that people rarely discuss their race or how they participated in racial discrimination. Alternatively put, Crash is not more about reality but probably about a reality taking place in people’s heads. Also, considering the number of carjacking that are experienced every day, it is a clear indication of how real Haggis is putting things. Alternatively, rather than being discussed, racism is frequently implied (Cabot, Walter and Cobot ). In almost every scene, Haggis defines a relevant and growing issue. For instance, the theme that is summarized by Graham is that individuals want to crash on one another to acquire some human connection. The provision is that this movie is often distraught with epiphanies after every few minutes. Characters are shown a reverse of what they are in real life, and as a result they endure a karmic kick in the various elements that intensify a behavioral or emotional renaissance. Some scenes are easily believed, other times; it stretches the integrity of the reality in this film. For instance, when Bullock shows some level of compunction regardless the level of bitterness she had towards everyone. It is beyond doubt that this behavior shift is sudden since the moment is too short to stick. It is emotionally wrenching when it happens to Ryan during the car accident. Although less is learned from each character in the film, it is very clear on how the Paul Haggis wants the viewers to understand each character. There are various African American men, a Persian family, a considerable number of Hispanic characters, and several Asians. In Crash film, a scene will toggle to another only if the scene is intersecting with the next scene. For instance, Cabot family is introduced in the movie because two black men had stolen their car. Similarly, a locksmith who has been searching for a job to sustain his family is hired in a shop by the Persian man who had been struggling with life in America as an immigrant. These two characters are the lead characters in the film, and almost every scene in the film is interconnected to the Hispanic locksmith and the Persian family (Cabot, Walter and Cobot). Haggis uses the technique of interconnection of characters to keep the viewers watching. Interconnection ensures that audiences are not stuck with one scene or story for long. An event or idea is presented a perspective of one family or one person and the same event or idea is expanded on by other characters that are connected to the initiator of the event or idea. Critics get Crash film differently in relation to the attempt of Haggis to present racism. Critics assert that many of the characters are provided life situations to help the viewers know where they came from in different parts of the World. For instance, Jean Cabot depression, Ryan sick father and the Persian shopkeeper who had been struggling being a new immigrant. Each of these characters serves as an excuse for racism in characters. Furthermore, other faultfinders argue that depression, illnesses, fear, as well as poverty, cannot make racism excusable. These factors are just insufficient attempts of finding unjustified reasons for conducting decadent activities. Haggis effort to trim prejudice leaves it possible for an influential message regarding racism feeling shortchanged and incomplete (Cabot, Walter and Cobot). The Crash film presents a number of different races as well as their intersection. The movie incorporates a limited number of white characters. The most significant white characters are Rick Cabot and Jean Cabot. Rick is the Los Angeles District Mayor while Jean is his wife. These characters are presented to be beautiful characters, confidence and more importantly well of individuals whose status is apparent even at first sight. For instance, Jean is seen holding her husband’s hand after seeing a two black people approaching from far in the street. It is undeniable that Jean is a typical racist. The fact that Jean is expressing her fear while she is in such a safe place clearly shows that she is a typical racist. The scene is not left feeling her actions were blameworthy. Ultimately, the film does not leave the viewers with a bad feeling; Jean is seen progressing as a conservative white woman, advantaged woman who does not work. Towards the end of the film, Jean is seen complaining about the various domestic helpers who are also assumed not to be white considering how often she claims not to be meeting her demands. Towards the end of this scene, she realizes that the people who are around her are not the reason why she is unhappy; she is simply an unfortunate woman. After crying for a while, she calls her house help who happen to be Hispanic and hugging her and referring her as her best friend (Cabot, Walter, and Cobot). Crash promotes racial awareness but just like any other race dialog it requires close inspection. The Crash film is different in that upon watching any other film one get stuck on the intensity of the usage of materials. The reality in the movies is very complicated to describe. Although not in a realistic way, crash film shows reality. Race is a very sensitive matter when it comes to filmmaking. Whites are the largest global movie audience, and issues relating to race may make that particular audience stay away from the theater or make them nervous. The avoidance of race in the film is the simple strategy that used by film writers to ensure that the profit for filmmaking is secured. Work Cited Crash. Dir. Paul Haggies. Perf. Jean Cabot, Graham Walter and Rick Cobot. 2004. Read More