Review "Crash" - Colours

“Crash” depicts racism in Los Angeles. We sit glued to our seat for the whole 1 hour and 40 minutes of running time, though the climax is brought in, in haste.

Director Pual Haggis has shown multiple, fragmented story lines merging together at the climax.

The movie opens with a crash of two vehicles, one driven by Graham (Don Cheadle) and the other by a Chinese woman. In another fragment, a White Police Officer Ryan (Matt Dillon), humiliates a black couple by fondling the wife (Thandie Newton) in public with the husband watching helpless unable to fight. A Hispanic lock smith’s family (with a cute little daughter) moves to a safer neighborhood in fear of attack. Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Jean (Sandra Bullock) become crime victims when their car is stolen by a nigger duo Anthony and Peter. Elsewhere a Persian seller buys himself a pistol.

The scene when the lock smith finds his little daughter hidden under her bed and when questioned she says she heard a bang, “Not like a truck but like a bang” pictures the current violence prevailing even among small children. There is also a suspense element where the unexpected happens, the most unexpected person shoots a black, who is none other than Graham’s long lost brother. The film's numerous stories are tied together by a web of coincidence in the climax.

As for me, the most powerful scene is when Newton meets with a car crash and Dillon comes to her rescue but is unable to pursue his duty because of the mistrust he had created on himself earlier.

The cast is well brewed humiliation, anger and hate in perfect blend making a perfect cup of coffee. The dialogues are rendered well making the desired impact among the audience. The reality is brought out well with each character playing their role perfect to the brim.

The director has taken a sensitive subject – Racism and presented it in a reasonable manner and the ultimate cast ensures that the audience gets the satisfaction of watching a movie with a subtle message and no preaching.

"Crash" is a film that challenges audiences to question their own prejudices.