Sunday, May 08, 2005

Motion Picture Review

Crash

Wow, it's about time a film approaches race relations in America with such a degree of truthfulness that displays the complexity that is our society, today, and done so without any sugar-coating that we're force-fed to keep us down.

I caught the film, Crash, last night and it's a heavy film that, first and foremost, tries to present to us the realities of living in a culture of fear in America. We're led to believe that we live in a nation that embraces multiculturalism and that, as "Americans", we're somehow a unified American society. Many of us know this is not true and don't even have to think twice. Others buy into this idea, either through ignorance or because they've grown up with that idea, whether through media, school, or any other means of being socialized.

What Crash does so well is show us the fear that is engrained into us, because of the way society is, even when we, as individuals, try to fight it. Two black males walking down a street ignites a fear that you will get assaulted. Anybody looking middle eastern arouses suspicion of terrorism. A Latino with a tattoo, shaved head is assumed to be a gangbanger. A white cop instills fear to the tenth degree to any minority. You get the picture. America is a unique nation filled with fear and intolerance. It's not just an isolated problem, it's a collective problem. The film does not offer any answers, but instead points out through six or seven interweaving story arcs that in a sense, "crash" together.

Crash pays particular attention to giving the viewer an opportunity to see racial tensions through multiple viewpoints. White people who are angry because of reverse discrimination through affirmative action. A Persian family who struggles to understand why they're assumed and prejudiced to be Arab. A Black man who, because of his color, spends his life "smartly, so he thinks" quietly living as an uncle tom, but realizing and struggling with his identity. I can go on and on, but that kind of thing.

There's just so much to contemplate from a movie like Crash. My hope is that it at least will open up the eyes of some who are close-minded about issues of race. I admittingly used to fall under the simplified philosophy that I considered everyone the same and that I was a better person because of that. That simply isn't true, however. Somehow, we need to be able to at least acknowledge that there is such a huge race barrier that it keeps us from understanding or even empathizing with each other. There is just too much unrecognized complexity and as a result, fear that we consciously and unfortunately subconsciously leave exposed and act upon.

And if you've seen the movie, I'll just remind you of the parallel between the two cops who essentially switched roles. all acted upon fear and assumptions. such a sad story.

I've rambled for too long. In a sentence, it was thought provoking but heavy film. Great acting, I never believed I could take Sandra Bullock seriously. Or Matt Dillon for that matter. My gripe, though? Although there was a Chinese character/story arc, (chinaman, they call'em-and geez i thought that term wasn't used anymore, learned my lesson..) they really did not tell much from the Chinese or, i'll just say it, the Asian point of view. Huge gripe.

Anyway, check it out.

1 comment:

zombi_king said...

i'll check it out.