Crash (2004/I)

Director:

Paul Haggis

Writers (WGA):

Paul Haggis (story)
Paul Haggis (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

6 May 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

You think you know who you are. You have no idea.

Plot:

Several stories interweave during two days in Los Angeles involving a collection of inter-related characters...

Plot Keywords:

Flatulence | Abusive Policeman | Slavery | Interracial Sex | Director

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 38 wins & 64 nominations

Cast

Karina Arroyave	...	Elizabeth
Dato Bakhtadze	...	Lucien
Sandra Bullock	...	Jean Cabot
Don Cheadle	...	Det. Graham Waters
Art Chudabala	...	Ken Ho
Sean Cory	...	Motorcycle Cop
Tony Danza	...	Fred
Keith David	...	Lt. Dixon
Loretta Devine	...	Shaniqua Johnson
Matt Dillon	...	Officer John Ryan
Michael Peña	...	Daniel
Jennifer Esposito	...	Ria
Ime Etuk	...	Georgie (as Ime N. Etuk)
Eddie J. Fernandez	...	Officer Gomez (as Eddie Fernandez)
William Fichtner	...	Flanagan

Also Known As:

L.A. Crash (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexual content and some violence.

Runtime:

112 min | 115 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Spanish | Persian | Mandarin | Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

France:U | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Malaysia:(Banned) (theatrical) | Taiwan:R-12 | Sweden:7 | Malaysia:U (DVD) | USA:R (certificate #40991) | India:A | Japan:PG-12 | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Ireland:15 (DVD rating) | Brazil:14 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Belgium:KT | New Zealand:R16 | Chile:TE | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | UK:15 | Finland:K-11 | Ireland:15A | Singapore:M18 | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Norway:15 | Philippines:R-13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Bob Yari Productions

Trivia:

During a heated argument, Christine (Thandie Newton) tells Cameron (Terrence Howard) that the closest he's ever been to being black was watching "The Cosby Show." Terrence Howard's first professional acting role was on "The Cosby Show" at age 19.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the part where Officers Ryan and Hanson pull Cameron and Christine over, towards the end of the scene when Officer Ryan walks back to the driver side, a shot is seen of him entering the vehicle. When a later, wider shot takes place, Officer Ryan is seen leaning inside the vehicle from outside, and then opening the door and entering the police car.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Graham: It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Maybe Tomorrow

Review: Ensemble cast delivers top-notch performances in reflective drama

In a drama strikingly reminiscent in style and tone of P.T. Anderson's film Magnolia (1999), the narrative in Crash shifts between 5 or 6 different groups of seemingly unconnected characters, whose relationships to each other are only revealed in the end.

Not to be confused with the David Cronenberg feature of the same name, this Crash is the feature-length, studio-released directorial debut of veteran Canadian TV writer/producer/director and two-time Emmy-winner Paul Haggis. An in-depth exploration on the themes of racism and prejudice, cause and effect, chance and coincidence, and tragedy, "crash" is a metaphor for the collisions between strangers in the course of day-to-day existence. Set over a 24-hour period in contemporary L.A., it is a social commentary on the interconnectedness of life in the big city.

Crash features a top-notch ensemble cast which includes: Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Fraser, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Loretta Devine, Thandie Newton, Ryan Phillipe and Larenz Tate. All put in superb performances in a tight script which is at once gritty, heartwarming, shocking, tragic and witty, and which will ring true with viewers of all demographics.

Centering around two disturbing car accidents, a carjacking, vicious workplace vandalism, and the suspicious shooting death of one police officer by another, the drama is set against the backdrop of a racist LAPD and Los Angeles justice system. Action shifts between the various characters, whose lives collide with each other in unpredictable ways as each faces their own moral dilemma, and tries to cope with the consequences of their resulting decision made or action taken. Each of the dozen or so main characters undergoes some type of a personal metamorphosis as the various story lines head toward a striking, common conclusion, which succeeds at being both cathartic and unsettling.

Crash is backed by a solid and varied, original soundtrack and excellent cinematography. Sweeping, wider shots alternate with disjointed camera angles which convey the chaos and confusion of the characters and the unpredictability of life. Occasional lingering close-ups -- on occasion without sound -- capture the actors' facial expressions, which suitably detail key moments of the characters' aching pain, fear, anger, bitter anguish, remorse or grief, far better than any dialogue could.

This breathtaking film is destined to be a critical smash and box-office hit. Five stars.