Crash (2004) is an “American drama directed by Paul Haggis.” It’s on the social and ethnic apprehension in Los Angeles. Several different people’s lives entwine as they try to handle overwrought race relations that contradict life in the city. Some of these characters include a Caucasian district legal representative who uses racial discrepancy as his political ticket. One time his Caucasian wife is carjacked by some black men and for-this-reason she believes that her conventional perception and opinion concerning non-whites is warranted and should not be regarded as racial discrimination.
There are several racial and social incidents in the film: for instance, the two carjackers who use their cultural background for their benefit and as a justification; Caucasian law-enforcement constables, one who uses his influential status to pester non-whites and the other who detests his colleague because of his racially prejudiced viewpoints; a black movie producer and his black spouse, who thinks that her spouse does not give his support to their black culture particularly given an incident with the racially prejudiced white police; Law-enforcement officers and at-times lovers, one Hispanic woman and the other a black man, the man deals with his drug-addicted mother who believes that he does not take care of his family. His young brother is a thief who constantly hypothesizes on racial discrimination and society. Haggis intertwines his tapestry with unbounded expertise, supported by brilliant performances.
In Crash, the multi-racial dwellers of the rambling west-coast hub are so mistrustful about being crime victims and ethnic oppression; they’ve lost the facility to interrelate with each other rationally. A mere car accident creates an unbending foundation for the convoluted exploration of narrow-mindedness and race. Haggis succeeds in bringing out the behaviors that many different people keep hidden under their skin; he puts racism on the highest platform for the viewer’s review. The film draws together people from different parts of the globe.
Two theorizing black men steal an expensive car that belongs to a white couple (a district attorney in Los Angeles and his jittery wife). A similar car that belongs to a rich black TV director is pulled-over by a racist police officer and his coworker. Every dispute leads to an unwarrantably aggressive, outward depiction of racism. Haggis has created a conscientious screenplay that keeps the anxiety in the film near the boiling-point with hardhearted verbal attacks and revolting physical display of abhorrence. One time, they behave in the most hateful and despicable manner; later, they perform acts of compassion that surprise the viewer. This is the key point that the director of the film seeks to-drive-home; people are time-and-again swayed by their presumptions concerning other people and people’s mindsets and behaviors are affected by the situations they find themselves in.
The reason why I decided to watch this film is to understand the concept of racism and its effects on people and to the general society. Crash creates emotions that constantly demand the viewer to examine their mindsets and belief systems. It’s about racial relations, the emotions, and the tension in LA. The film portrays everyday events of different people living in Los Angeles; how their lives traverse all through the day. It has almost all racial stereotypes one can think of. For instance, Ryan’s depiction of a racist police officer seemed run-of-the-mill at first until one realizes there are layers of compassion, aggravation, and hurt under his hard facade when one gets to know him. It is laudable that the filmmakers did not take sides in the confrontation, but simply portrayed the different parts of the race story. The crash is an interesting film; it portrays people’s attitudes towards different issues in society. It expounds the concept of racism and its effects on society; the tension it creates among people of different races and unfounded misjudgments. Issues of gender and racial discrimination cause strangers in LA to psychologically and physically crash in this drama.
A police officer (Graham) whose brother is a street crook is upset to know that their mother cares for his irresponsible brother a lot but she doesn’t love him as much. His girlfriend Ria begun to complain of his emotional coldness and his occasional thoughtlessness, this is because she is Hispanic and he is black. Rick (a district attorney) whose spouse, Jean, has little secret regarding her fears and dislike of people who are different. Her worst thoughts about people of color are proven when her SUV is stolen by two black men; one of them is Anthony who hates white people as much as jean hates African-American and Peter who is more unbiased and evenhanded. Cameron, a moneyed producer with his spouse Christine are stopped by Ryan, racist police who subject them to an embarrassing interrogation and conducts a disrespectful search on her while his new colleague, Hansen, gape.
Christine is annoyed because his husband did not protect her from that horrible experience; she feels humiliated and wonders why her husband did not have the decency to defend her from such degradation; Cameron is passive-aggressive about the matter and refuses to talk to her. Daniel a diligent locksmith and a devoted father finds out that his appearance may him seem untrustworthy by his customers. A storekeeper (Farhad) from the Middle East feels always unprotected and in jeopardy following the fanatic assaults that he decides to keep a gun for protection. Crash exposes people’s inner fears, thoughts, and beliefs system. It challenges its viewers to examine their narrow-mindedness and prejudices. The film follows the impulsive intersections of a multi-racial cast, scrutinizing bigotry, and tension from numerous points of view as characters lurch in and out of each other’s lives (Miller 34). Nobody is secure in the battlefield of racial dissension and no one also is resistant to the festering fury that sparks aggression and transforms lives.
The film exposes diverse forms of social and multi-ethnic disparities, giving viewers patterns of how these behaviors affect today’s society. The tactic employed in this film centers on conducts, stereotypes, and prejudice/racism. People’s behaviors are perceived as emotions and thoughts nearly all people have experienced. In the first scene, the viewer sees a Muslim in a weapon store trying to buy a firearm. The storekeeper who is Caucasian portrays a negative perception towards the buyer because of his cultural background. The feelings triggered by the storekeeper are based on the stereotypes associated with Islamic background and race. Muslims are associated with the terrorist group that attacked Americans during the 9/11 attacks. This negative mindset and violence depicted in this scene exemplify prejudice referred to as behavior predisposition and pessimistic sentiments toward members belonging to a particular group. This is an issue existing in society today and now that people are educated and well-informed, they should understand that one’s behaviors should not be used to stereotype or label other people. Prejudice can be threatening where it reaches its extreme (Bigotry); behaving on hatred can cause a behavior called a hate crime, for example where people unexpectedly attack a Muslim’s shop and wreck the entire business. This kind of behavior can lead people to many scandals even death.
Conclusion
This film shows its audience the diverse mindsets and outlooks of people in the general public; it portrays an understanding of the stereotypes people have created within their communities and within the human race. It helps the viewers to see and comprehend how a trivial stereotype and pessimistic mindset can broaden and affect people from all walks of life. It is imperative that to learn and know how to control racial discrimination and the stereotypes held against other people, groups, and cultures because these attitudes and emotions are learned and not inborn; people can teach themselves to avoid these negatives conducts by not being hypercritical and influencing ourselves negatively towards other people. In the world today, well-designed and reverential relationships between countries are very vital; racial discrimination and stereotypes can be a negative force both in the globe and in individual communities, particularly in diverse ones. The key to altering stereotypes and narrow-mindedness is mainly the work of individuals. Each person ought to examine the presumptions that they make about other people and ask where those presumptions originate from. Everyday people be faced with different issues; how they interpret them determines their daily life’s perception.
Works Cited
Miller, Frederic. Crash, California: VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller e.K., 2010. Print.