Crash (dir. Paul Haggis)

[proper stranger]

I saw Crash yesterday and loved it. I'm still thinking about it this morning. The performances were excellent all-around (I even liked Ludacris and Thandie Newton) and the dialogue was wonderfully written. As for the comparisons to Magnolia, I think this movie was twice as thought-provoking and involving in half the running time.

One BIG mistake I think "Crash" made was >>having the movie held in Los Angeles. Hellooooo? Ever been to L.A., Mr. Haggis? It's GINORMOUS! Even if all of these people lived in the poshest part of L.A. - and they didn't - there's just no way that they would've kept "crashing" into each other like they did. I know they needed a place like L.A. or New York to account for all the different races in one setting, but...nope, can't see it happening.<<

See, I loved that it took place in Los Angeles and found the story very LA-specific. The idea voiced at the beginning of the movie by Don Cheadle's character that the people here feel so isolated that they "crash" into each other just for some human contact doesn't apply as much to a city like New York, where people are constantly walking amongst one another. Sure, you have to be willing to accept the many coincidences that put certain characters in the same place, but, given the context in which most of these occur, I was willing to go with it.

I agree that the movie isn't fully optimistic or pessimistic--and no character is completely heroic or evil. However, I did find it ultimately uplifting. I mean, if the Ludacris character could free from slavery the "Chinamen" he didn't really care about...and a rich beeotch like Sandra Bullock's character could perhaps realize that not all Mexicans are gangbangers...and it could snow in L.A....maybe anything is possible.

[rattlerbrat]

Err...>>CAN it snow in L.A.?<< Tony!Toni!Tone! taught that it never rains in southern California, but to quote Homer Simpson, they lied to us through song.

Oh, and if there's a soundtrack to "Crash", then I want >>an extended version of Larenz's little country song on there. Man, that shit was funny.<<

[proper stranger]

Dude, I loved Larenz's song. What was it called..."Gonna Buy Me a Rope"? Heh.

Theoretically, it can snow in the City of Angels. I live in L.A. and it's a lifelong dream of mine to see this happen just once. So I did get a wee bit weepy seeing it, if only in a movie. Yeah, I'm a sap.

[cleangenie]

I totally loved the way whenever anything bad would happen to someone, they had just done something that could be considered provacation but then it blows up completely out of proportion because of racism.

The scene with the little girl will haunt me forever.

Do you think the Persian daughter knew what she was getting when she bought the red box?

I have never thought much of Ryan Phillippe, but man oh man, he acted his ass off. The way the emotions played over his face in the "harsh warning" scene was phenomenal.

And, I'm having a hard time getting the spoiler thingy to work, too.

[joeyandlucasmom]

cleangenie, I thought that the daughter knew exactly what she was doing when she bought the red box. Her dad couldn't read English. She bought those in particular because he couldn't really get himself into trouble if he used them. JMO, YMMV.

Loved this movie, except for Ludacris' redemption scene at the end. I was willing to accept everything else, but that rang a little false.

[rattlerbrat]

cleangenie said:

Do you think the Persian daughter knew what she was getting when she bought the red box?/

Oh, absolutely. Remember, >>the salesman asked her, "Do you know what you're buying?"<<

And I didn't buy >>Luda's redeption either - mainly because he kept the stolen truck!<<

[cleangenie]

Everytime my mind would wander yesterday I would find myself thinking about this movie, and that's saying a lot.

[rattlerbrat]

*sigh* I'm starting to get all fangirly about this movie. I need to the DVD to come out. Like...tomorrow. With lots of extra cut scenes.

[hillbillylover]

It's a flawed film, but parts of it are quite memorable.

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm begining to think that Ryan Phillipe is a better actor than his perky blonde wife.

Sandra Bullock was surprisingly effective as a bitch.

Ludacris was good enough to make Samuel L. Jackson spit.

I wouldn't be surprised if Matt Dillon was to get a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.

I also got the impression that Nona Gaye and Brendan Frasier's characters >>were having an affair.<<

As for the resolution for Ludarcis' character,>> it didn't bother me so much because the film makers seemed to go out of their way to make his and Larenz's characters more thoughtful and less cliched than you would expect hoodlums to be.<<

And I took the fact that Ludacris......>> kept the stolen van, to mean that although he was attempting to do the right thing, he was unwilling and unable to turn into a boy scout overnight<<

Also, this film convinces me that Larenz Tate will stilll be able to play twentysomethings when he's in his fifties. He and Stacey dash must age only one year for every five that they live.

Finally, Thandie Newton needs to eat a sandwich or ten.

[diciembre]

I also got the impression that Nona Gaye and Brendan Frasier's characters were having an affair.

Ah man, I was feeling that too.

I enjoyed the movie I just didnt like how it had you wondering what happened after the fact.

Like, << when Lorenz got shot by Ryan you never knew if he got caught.

You never saw Thandie Newton get to address Matt Dillion after he saved her from the burning car.

You didnt see Ludacris find out about his friend getting murdered.

You never saw what happened after the old dude almost shot and killed the little girl. >>

But I guess that was the whole point of the movie, to leave you thinking.

Overall, a decent movie.