Crash [2004] [2005]

Amazon.co.uk Review

Movie studios, by and large, avoid controversial subjects like race the way you might avoid a hive of angry bees. So it's remarkable that Crash even got made; that it's a rich, intelligent, and moving exploration of the interlocking lives of a dozen Los Angeles residents--black, white, latino, Asian, and Persian--is downright amazing.

A politically nervous district attorney (Brendan Fraser) and his high-strung wife (Sandra Bullock, biting into a welcome change of pace from Miss Congeniality) get car-jacked by an oddly sociological pair of young black men (Larenz Tate and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges); a rich black T.V. director (Terrence Howard) and his wife (Thandie Newton) get pulled over by a white racist cop (Matt Dillon) and his reluctant partner (Ryan Phillipe); a detective (Don Cheadle) and his Latina partner and lover (Jennifer Esposito) investigate a white cop who shot a black cop--these are only three of the interlocking stories that reach up and down class lines.

Writer/director Paul Haggis (who wrote the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby) spins every character in unpredictable directions, refusing to let anyone sink into a stereotype. The cast--ranging from the famous names above to lesser-known but just as capable actors like Michael Pena (Buffalo Soldiers) and Loretta Devine (Woman Thou Art Loosed)--meets the strong script head-on, delivering galvanizing performances in short vignettes, brief glimpses that build with gut-wrenching force. This sort of multi-character mosaic is hard to pull off; Crash rivals such classics as Nashville and Short Cuts. A knockout. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

More pluses than minuses.......2008-03-12

I find some of the other reviews rather harsh, but of course, it's all down to personal preferences...

Whilst I don't disagree with some of the criticisms, I think the pluses outweigh the minuses, as follows:

1. For me Terrence Howard's superb performance as a prosperous black professional driven close to the edge by race-related pressures was sufficient reason alone to make this film worth watching. I found his performance totally believable (although I can't help feeling that in real life his character would have ended up very dead!)

2. Yes, the film (hopefully!) exaggerates the degree to which racism dominates life in L.A. But for me exaggeration is a valid tool to use in the arts to make a point, and overall this film achieved a slick interweaving of several people's lives to maintain pace and interest throughout.

3. I doubt that there have ever been two young hoods who have ever come anywhere close to debating sociological issues like the two in this film, but they were really entertaining!

4. Don Cheadle was, as ever, excellent; other performances, notably Dillon and Phillipe, were also fine. I agree with an earlier reviewer that Sandra Bullock's presence was largely superfluous (still at least she has finally been in a good film!)

This Needs To Be Watched.......2008-03-10

To anyone who reads this, my review is to just watch this film. It needs to be seen because there aren't enough good films out there anymore that really push people's buttons and make them just think. Watch it.

Unbearable use of expletives!.......2008-03-08

Whilst this film may show'life'as it really is in the USA. No attempt at reconciliation or understanding the others point of view is made.Maybe the over use of expletives that usually indicates a low level of intellect has 'colored'(excuse the pun)my opinion?The story could have made a statement,it certainly did ...but the wrong one!

Superbly crafted interweaving tales of prejudice.......2008-02-29

To talk too much about what happens in Crash would be to take away some of the pleasure, although without doing so it's difficult to describe just what the movie is about. Suffice to say then, it is an interweaving set of characters tales, all of which show the results or origins of bigotry or prejudice, in various guises.
It is a fascinating and superbly weaved tale which never relies on thriller tricks to keep you gripped - the drama which will keep you glued here is all driven by the characters. And with such a plethora of characters in the movie, it is incredible that the director, Paul Haggis, managed to leave you at the end with a feeling of understanding of each.
The performances from the superb cast are uniformly excellent, with Matt Dillon and Don Cheadle especially shining, and the locations in L.A. seem to perfectly illustrate the anachronism of our age that has thrown into spotlight the differences between races and cultures, living side by side.
Highly recommended for thought provoking viewing.

a moving, thrilling film.......2008-02-09

An excellent, put together film with lots of emotional scenes. As the film progressed I really got to know the characters and felt for them. Fantastic acting and brilliantly plotted. It is a rollercoaster of a film and will stay in your heart forever.

Crash (2 Disc Directors Cut) [2004] [2005]

Average customer rating:

hmm
A Masterpiece of human relationships
Pretentious
To hell with all the fuss!

Crash (2 Disc Directors Cut) [2004] [2005]
Starring: Sandra Bullock , Don Cheadle , Thandie Newton , Matt Dillon , and Ryan Phillippe
Director: Paul Haggis
Manufacturer: Pathe Distribution
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FWGVVA
Release Date: 2006-08-28

Customer Reviews:

hmm.......2007-01-09

Before I start I have to say I have just watched this movie and I found it enjoyable but I can't help feeling that if done by a independant team it would have been much better I couldnt get away from the stars in the film and it lacked realism in that way.

From the start this had the feeling of hollywood trying to deal with a serious issue by overzealousness! I don't know what it's like in america but I certainly wouldnt want to move there if that many racist comments are thrown around!

I'd say it's worth a watch but it's not a keeper in my opinion!

A Masterpiece of human relationships.......2006-09-02

As a facilitator who works in the arena of human relationships and raising awarenesss this film is a masterpeice. I regularly show it to my groups as it shows the complexity of human interaction and how issues in our personal lives play out in our daily interactions. For those that see it as as only a view on American society are missing out on it's deeper reflection of who we all are as humans. I have also found it's not the film that is powerful but more so, the emotions it generates within the viewer. I have regularly had students who had seen the film prior to my courses and they say that it was insignificant then watched after the course and seen a completely different film. When I ask what has changed, the answer is always their perception and therein lies a metaphore for life. What does it take to examine our perceptions? CRASH taps deeply into our intepretations of the world around us and can reveal more about who we are than we realise or some would like to admit. The true impact is not in the film but rather in the way we respond to it. Do we have the courage to look in the mirror?
Watch this film and then examine your own values and beliefs and the impact they have (CRASH) on others, then you'll really get this film.

Pretentious.......2006-08-23

A birthday present from my sister, I stuck with this DVD for about half an hour, though I was totally alienated within 10 minutes. Most of the dialogue ( such as it is ) is incomprehensible, the characters cartoony. There's nothing worse than Americans trying to do a serious theme head-on, though they can be brilliant at oblique comedy ( The Apartment )or Grand Guignol action ( Dirty Harry ). Crash is way down at the bottom of the Atlantic with that other titanically pretentious film...avoid it like an iceberg.

To hell with all the fuss!.......2006-08-14

Either love it or hate it, the most 'marmite' film of the last few years although the haters are mainly pretentios, podantic reveiwers who only concentrate on the politics of the film and not the movie itself.
I love this movie and although it does purposefully tug at the heartstrings a tad too much, it takes a stone cold heart not to swell up with compassion for this film. The ensemble cast who are mainly actors that have not been on the radar for a while all do a fine job as if thier lives depended on it and the hispanic guy and Cheadle are paticularly superb.
At first it is hard to ignore the blatent forcefulness of its core issues with the word 'black' used on countless occasions but this leads into many great storylines and you begin to realise just how important and integral the issue of racism is. All of us are forced into stereo-typing and prejudising at certain points of our live but that doesnt neccesarily mean someone is racist. I think this film is cleverer than people think and one should not be afraid to embrace the films deep core. Great acting, Great direction, wonderful cinematography and the scene in which Dillion's racist but caring cop rescues Thandie Newton from the car crash is just one of a number of mesmerising scenes that grip you and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up on end. A modern classic without dought.

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