1. Give a brief plot overview

‘Crash’ is a slice of life film that, for 36 hours, follows the lives of around 13 characters living in L.A in the years after 9/11. These characters are of a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, religions and social classes, the contrast in the way they live and react to each other are highlighted as they all “crash” together from their different corners.

2. Outline a character that interested you and why

One character that was of particular interest to me was Jean Cabot. Jean is an upper class woman who’s uptight nature means she is swayed heavily by prejudices. Throughout the film, Jeans vulnerability is revealed with the exposure of her insecurities. She interested me because she highlighted an aspect of human nature and the way we influenced by prejudice and how this invites loneliness. The opening line of the film introduces this; “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.” Jean lacks this simple touch, she is lonely and fears this loneliness when she realizes it. “Do you want to hear something funny? What’s that Mrs Jean? You’re the best friend I’ve got.” after showing blatant racism towards her hispanic maid, Jean comes to the realization that with the nature of her and the people around her’s lives, the only person she is truly connected to is her housekeeper. “I’m angry all the time… and I don’t know why”.

3. Discuss the setting . Give factual information about L.A and uncover why you believe the director, Paul Haggis, set the text there.

The setting of Los Angeles, California is integral in the story of ‘Crash’ and the message director, Paul Haggis, presents to his audience. The film is set after 9/11 in the wake of huge racial prejudice and islamophobia. This is presented with the characters (Farhard’s in particular) and the general racial and violent tension within the film. L.A has a reputation for racial profiling and police brutality and as Crash is so focused around racism and the law, this aspect of Los Angeles is hugely influential. Something that is particularly typical for L.A is the sprawling highways and busyness of traffic. The traffic goes for miles and every person is stuck inside their “metal and glass” car, whizzing by each other like ships in the night. Never to touch, only to crash. The way this city is ideal in presenting the themes of the film, its highways and traffic is symbolic within the story and message it presents.

4. Discuss one cinematography technique that was of interest to you. Give examples.

The ensemble of each character’s presentation, their makeup, costume, placement etc has a great impact on the audience’s impression and understanding of them. Haggis deliberately chose costuming for his characters to present to his audience who they are and the stereotype that they present –  whether they conform to it or not. Our initial sightings of Jean and Rick Cabot are very different to that of Cameron and Anthony. Rick is dressed in formal clothing, suit, tie and large coat that indicate his wealth and potentially status. Both are white which introduces immediately the stereotypes that filters the other characters and our own perception. Cameron and Anthony are introduced to us wearing clothing that contrasts major with Jean and Ricks despite being in the very same setting. They wear oversized jackets and Anthony has corn rows, the audience has an initial response them, seeing them in a certain light thus introducing yet another stereotype.

Lighting was effectively used throughout this film to evoke an emotional or thoughtful reaction from its audience. In the opening sequence of the film, colored lights blink on and off behind a blurry screen that we later see is a windscreen and the lights are the headlights of cars. Immediately we are presented with the idea that we are trapped behind our “metal and glass” which blurs our vision of what is going on outside.

5. What message did you walk away with after the initial viewing? Explain.

I was presented with the reality of racial discrimination and how this separates a society. The results of the intense prejudice inflicted by and faced by the characters and how their lives intertwined revealed the way in society how easy it is to become affected by those prejudices. We hide ourselves away behind walls and become so fixated on our own lives that we forget the simple touch that is discussed in Crash. This encourages our judgemental perception of others. Crash presents human fear, anger, shame and human nature as a whole. I walked away with a renewed awareness of the extent of the racial divide that exists in society and also was reminded of humanity, everything that we are sometimes missing out on when we close our doors and live only seeing our own narrow lives.