Review of Crash

People are born with good hearts, but they grow up and learn prejudices. "Crash" is a movie that brings out bigotry and racial stereotypes. The movie is set in Los Angeles, a city with a cultural mix of every nationality. The story begins when several people are involved in a multi-car accident. From that point, we are taken back to the day before the crash, seeing the lives of several characters, and the problems each encounters during that day. An LAPD cop (Matt Dillon) is trying to get medical help for his father, but he is having problems with a black HMO clerk who won't give his father permission to see another doctor. He in turn takes out his frustration on a black couple during a traffic stop. A socialite (Sandra Bullock) and District Attorney (Brandon Fraser) are carjacked at gunpoint by two black teenagers. Sandra takes out her anger on a Mexican locksmith who is changing the door locks to their home. Later that night, the locksmith is again robbed of his dignity by a Persian store-owner. Many of the characters switch from being bad-person-to-hero in ways that may surprise you.

This is one movie you must see for yourself, but you can't go to the movie thinking that you will escape life for 2 hours. "Crash" forces the viewer to confront racism in the real world. You may take a look at yourself and examine your own preconceptions about race, and see if you are prejudiced. The depth of the performances by all the actors was brilliant. I think the movie will receive several Academy Award nominations. (Lions Gate Film, Run time 1:40, Rated R) (10/10)