"Moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other." That tagline for Crash becomes a vivid reality in the tense drama marking the high-impact movie-directing debut of Paul Haggis.
The London native was thrust into the Hollywood spotlight as co-producer and screenwriter of Million Dollar Baby, the boxing saga that copped four Academy Awards, including last year's best picture Oscar.
Crash is his worthy followup project, a provocative crime thriller set against the stark backdrop of frustrated hopes, anger and racial tensions simmering in the melting pot of a huge and crowded metropolis, namely Los Angeles.
The film, co-scripted and co-produced by Haggis, profiles several residents of the crowded, urban maze. All feel threatened by strangers and stalked by their own individual insecurities.
Two minor traffic accidents act as bookends for the movie's rivetting plot. Created between them is a 36-hour period in which seemingly unrelated events trigger an emotionally explosive chain reaction.
A pair of gun-wielding carjackers -- played by rapper Chris (Ludracris) Bridges and Larenz Tate -- victimize WASPish district attorney Rick (Brendan Fraser) and his wife Jean (Sandra Bullock). Traumatized by the life-threatening experience, Jean allows her latent bigotry to emerge.
The routine stop of an automobile occupied by TV director Cameron (Terrence Howard) and his spouse, Christine (Thandie Newton), quickly turns into a cruel, ugly incident by racist cop Ryan (Matt Dillon). His rookie sidekick is Hansen (Ryan Phillippe), who's destined to confront his own shocking dilemma.
Iranian shopkeeper Farhad (Shaun Toub) purchases a gun to protect his property. His weapon will become the centrepiece of the movie's most stunningly violent scene.
Meantime, Graham (Don Cheadle) is a world-weary police detective whose aloofness is adversely affecting the love affair with his Hispanic partner, Ria (Jennifer Esposito) and his relationship with his drug-addicted mother.
Cheadle, a best-actor Oscar nominee for Hotel Rwanda, is co-producer of Crash.
"The script felt like real people saying real things in real situations. That was the attraction for me," he explained.
A strong cast and gritty, authentic dialogue are two major elements that set this movie apart from its run-of-the-mill crime drama rivals.
Another significant factor is the intriguing plot, crafted by Haggis and co-writer Bobby Moresco into a cinematic version of the Rubik's Cube that binds together the characters and their fates.
The urban angst they share is summed up by Bullock's character, Jean: "I'm angry all the time and I don't know why."
What keeps Crash from falling into the abyss of depression are its sparks of humour, a few pleasant surprises and a resilient optimism that is battered but unbeaten.
With Crash, Haggis has reaffirmed the promise he demonstrated in Million Dollar Baby. In both films, he has tackled the risky and dangerous areas that other moviemakers avoid in favour of safer, formula-driven screen vehicles.
Intelligent and insightful, Crash allows its viewers to meet a group of flawed yet fascinating human beings -- and recognize themselves.
That fact alone makes this movie a rare and brilliant gem.
(This film is rated 14-A)
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