“Crash” by Jason Callan 

At last, a movie with Brendon Fraser that didn’t completely suck. 

Written and directed by Paul Haggis (writer of oscar winner “Million Dollar Baby” and creator of “Walker Texas Ranger” featuring the bearded fury of Chuck Norris, the toughest man alive), Crash is an ensemble piece that tells the stories of a group of varied strangers whose lives collide around a series of car crashes.  In a more profound and important way Crash is a study of modern American racial stereotypes, and how the bigotry and racists actions and opinions can impact a person as well as everyone they touch. 

Not being a formal member of the Academy, I don’t know exactly how this works as Crash was released to late in 2004 for Oscar consideration, so does it qualify for 2005 or will it be forgotten?  If the film is snubbed it is a tragedy as this may be a Best Picture candidate.  The broad cast is made up of many notable actors playing small character studies such as Don Cheadle (of “Mission to Mars” the worst movie I have ever paid money to see), Matt Dillon (been making movies for 20 years, “The Outsiders” was my favorite), Sandra Bullock (hey, we all saw “Speed” and all are a little dumber as a result) and dozens of other actors and actresses from all walks of film and television. 

The cast is outstanding, and even though the viewer is asked to generate empathy for dozens of characters in a short span of time, the film works due to the realistic and believable performances as well as the very clever almost Seinfieldian way the stories are laid out independently and wind up coming together in a way that keeps you fascinated all the way to the end. 

This film is more of a sociological study in racism than a plot driven traditional movie vehicle.  The audience may be left unsatisfied with the various resolutions at the end as most are somewhat open ended.  The search for salvation never ends, and the viewer needs to buy it for satisfaction.  I certainly did.  1999’s rambling “Magnolia” is the closest similarity in story-telling style that I can draw with the characters and the ways in which their lives intertwine is far more important than a contrite Hollywood happy ending. 

At a minimum Haggis should get Oscar consideration for the writing, screenplay, or direction.  This is a film that left me contemplating my own attitudes about race and how they shape who I am and what I do, this type of impact is what an Oscar nomination should be all about, as opposed to the cronyism and bull shit that got Denzel Washington an Oscar for “Training Day”, what a crock, try getting it right the first time!