CRASH
One of the recommended sites on my main page is from my friend, mochablue A few weeks ago she sparked my interest in the movie Crash. It's one of those movies which I wanted to see at the theater but never got the chance to see. Anyway, I gladly took the recommendation and have been so busy that I only watched it last night. I have many words to say about this movie for so many reasons.
First of all, it's very original and the cast is surprisingly successful. Don Cheadle never fails but to have Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Ludacris (serves comic relief in this film), Ryan Philippe, and Brendan Fraser in the same movie and not be distracted by the lack of acting coherence that one might predict , is even better. The originality stems from an entangled plot of seemingly unrelated characters. The stories for each set of "mini-plots" is not simple, either, as you have the chance to become engaged with them while they reach resolution amidst several unexpected and suspenseful series of events. An added layer to the movie would be all the dialogue revolving around racism. The script plays on all the steroetypes that we've probably already been programmed with or have heard of or faced before in similar contexts, but teaches you a lesson by unravelling the reality in a unique way. Don't worry - it's not a movie that's hard to digest or has to be picked apart. Think Love Actually but it ain't love this time. (spoilers follow)
My crticism, however, is that in an attempt to tie in all those characters, it is not as tightly wound as it seems. There are still unanswered questions in the end and the resolutions are somewhat uneven. Not all the characters reach their epiphany at the same level . For instance, Matt Dillon resolves his racial prejudices but then we still see his ailing father at the end. Don Cheadle's relationship with his mother is even more fragmented as a result of his actions. Some other characters end in positive view - like the rigid persian father who realizes good or the strugglng couple who attain intimacy following their life-changing episodes defining them being black in a white man's world. The great thing is that there is not just one simple story for each set and somehow the big story to walk away with is that these collisions are all meaningful and connected.
But I wonder what the writer intended...if we're supposed to feel guilty and what we're supposed to do with what we've just witnessed. Maybe its to realize the reality, that there are racial conflicts to be found in all of us. Is it implying that we get what we deserve if we don't deal with this inner prejudices? I have no clue. LOL. Sorry I think too much.
On the lighter note, everytime I watch a movie or wanna know about one, I turn to IMDB. It has every movie ever made or about to made and the most comprehensive movie data - including reviews, trailers, and biographies on the actors themeselves. I even have an account there and write these lengthy reviews...imagine that!