L.A. Crash

Die wahrscheinlich ehrlichste (und selbstkritischste) Filmaussage über die Probleme des eigenen Landes. Wahrscheinlich deshalb, weil Paul Haggis ein sensibler Kanadier ist und das Milieu, in dem er als Expatriate lebt, besser reflektieren kann als jemand, der in ihm geboren wurde. Der Film, der dramatisch die Lebenswege von mehreren Protagonisten verbindet, hat eine globalere Optik als z. B. 21 Gramm. Er beobachtet aus einer größeren Entfernung mehrere Schicksale und verbindet sie durch ein eher schwaches Motiv. Es ist aber trotzdem eine intensive emotionale Fahrt mit vielen starken Momenten, die man sich merken wird. Der Film urteilt nicht, die Figuren sind nicht gut oder böse. Sie werden als sensible Wesen dargestellt, die durch böse Kräfte beherrscht werden. "Du glaubst, du weißt, wer du bist?" (29.09.2005)

There are certainly a few scenes that get under your skin and make you shudder, but as a whole it’s too contrived, too "for effect" (in this respect I experienced the same feelings at the turning point in Haggis's other film Million Dollar Baby), too many coincidences that I found hard to accept, unbelievable behaviour of some of the characters. I didn’t buy it... (29.10.2005)

There are two free seats on the bus, one of them is next to a white guy, the other is next to someone with brown skin. Where would you sit? This film answers this and similar questions, hinting at the circumstances that lead to them. Is it racism or avoiding a risk from fears based on previous negative experiences? An often unnecessary but quite logical price of mixing nations together. (08.04.2009)

The mirror reflecting contemporary America is perhaps angled in a way so as to provide the most effective reflection, but the whole thing is so believable that it's hard to resent it for that. Haggis's minimalist form achieves the best effect, which is an emotional attack on the viewer. Simple camera work, no directorial gimmicks or excesses, subtle music by Mark Isham, and above all, strong content that, in its own way, lacks a unified plot but instead fragments into a complex mosaic of individual human destinies and leaves an incredibly powerful, realistic, and human impact. Moreover, the strong cast elevates the quality of the film even higher. Still, I can't help but bring up one name - Don Cheadle. He is perhaps unfairly overlooked as an actor, but he proved here that he belongs to the absolute top in his field and that he has no issues taking on any role. Coincidences may not exist, but after watching Crash, one can successfully question that notion. (02.12.2005)

Racism and xenophobia in all possible forms in cosmopolitan Los Angeles in the period leading up to Christmas. The storytelling style is similar to Magnolia, especially as far as how the separate stories end up interweaving with each other. Primarily toward the end we get a couple of really powerful moments, effectively supported by excellent music... Despite everything, I couldn’t get over the feeling that it was all too superficial and intended only for effect, which is a shame. (05.11.2005)

Find strength, courage, and a clear mind. And let yourself get caught up in the clash. It's harder than it seems, because you might have to overcome prejudices. Not necessarily the racial ones that Haggis talks about, but purely cinematic ones. It requires rising above contrivance, incredibility, or potential calculation. This creative team certainly isn't aiming for that. There were times when I couldn't find a single wrong word to say about Crash, thanks to its sincerity and persuasiveness, and even though I now understand that everything fits together perhaps a bit too easily and not all the storylines are masterfully told, even ten years after its sensational Oscar triumph, it remains painfully relevant and timeless. The actors, the script, the perfectly captivating yet unobtrusive music, and one of the most flawless scenes I have ever seen, "I'll protect you", are responsible for that. And it's a scene that nobody who has seen the film will forget. (28.10.2005)

I'm not a big fan of movies where multiple stories intertwine. But here, I don't even mind and the individual stories seemed complete. I felt the most emotion when Thandie Newton was being pulled out of the crashed car. But I was also touched by the fates of the other characters. I was really on edge at some points. Otherwise, I was amazed by the great music and unique atmosphere for most of the film. The film lived up to my expectations, yet I won't give it 5 stars. In the beginning, some parts were a bit boring. (20.08.2011)

A brilliantly filmed and acted mosaic of human destinies with the central motif of the problematic coexistence of different races, cultures, and value hierarchies amid a modern multi-ethnic American metropolis. The excellent, well-crafted screenplay does not present issues of racial prejudice and conflicts simplistically and straightforwardly. It does not cheaply moralize and, through characters of various social and professional backgrounds, it speaks of the fact that nothing may be as it appears on the surface and that good intentions sometimes are not enough... It speaks of social isolation between the cream of the crop of society and the ordinary "lower class," of the cynical calculations with which politicians approach public administration issues. It does not favor whites or blacks, it only records the screenwriter's observations and feelings of fear of life in an overcrowded metropolis. The screenplay attracted significant attention among the American acting elite and, despite a severely limited budget, still obtained a strong, practically star-studded cast. Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, and Matt Dillon took on roles in the film as an excellent chance to shine in an artistically demanding film, which they rightly expected to be successful. For Paul Haggis, Crash was his directorial, screenwriting, and producing debut and instantly placed him among the recognized filmmakers of today. For me, Crash was one of the greatest cinematic experiences and one of the most significant films of the last decade. Overall impression: 95%. (25.11.2007)

Paul Haggis is an incredible talent, hIs script for Million Dollar Baby was fantastic and, after a short time, he repeats his performance and twice so. His direction is brilliant as well, and thanks to him, Crash is one of the best films of the year. The mosaic-like structure of the story is very similar, for example, to 21 Grams, but here it doesn't lose any of its attractiveness or power and forces the viewer to think about every scene that unfolds. The visually cold stylization of dark L.A. is a sure bet, just like the handheld camera. (04.09.2005)

I've seen this movie a couple of times and I’m sure I'll see it a few more times because I simply enjoy it. The atmosphere and the story are nice, but what gets me the most are the characters. No one is just black or white (I mean character), everyone has been given an interesting mixture of traits, which is what makes this movie so great. I don’t think a movie like this would get away with it today, though. It does revolve around racial prejudice, but the only ones whose lives matter don't come off as complete good guys, which is where the problem lies. There were plenty of emotionally charged scenes. Thankfully, I didn't feel like someone was trying to forcefully jerk tears out of me. (23.12.2021)

An excellent film that shows at first glance the racial prejudices we have, but is actually much more general because it shows how much hatred and lies are ingrained in us. And it's a very unpleasant sight because not everyone reaches enlightenment like some of the characters; some simply remain drowned in that hatred. (20.03.2017)