Film Essay & Works Cited

Brandy Garza Padilla

brandygarzapadilla@mycwi.cc

2010 FA-ENGL-102-024W

Film Analysis Draft

14 November, 2010

The 2004 film Crash, written and directed by Paul Haggis, explores racial exchanges in several different ethnic groups living in Los Angeles. As the film progresses, we are able to see how each characters’ own racist experiences change their perspective towards other races. The changes are expressed through the mood tone, setting, and even the music. By the end of the movie the audience is left with a feeling of hope and an ambition to examine its own thought and actions towards others. Even though critics argue that the film Crash is stereo-typically racist, the film prompts America to see past the misconceptions we have of each other because empathy and self-evaluation is the starting place for change and the destruction or redemption of society is based on individual choices.

The film offers a peek into the lifestyles of commonly judged ethnic groups and focus on the humanity of all races. By going against common stereo types, the movie manipulates your feelings to think about what we all have in common with each other. Rita Verma supports the films theme by stating, “As we empathize with one another, we become individuals and not stereo-types” (15). As the film challenges self-examination, advocates of combating racism agree that “Healing racism entails a tremendous amount of personal reflection” (Davis 45).

By taking a look into the everyday struggles of life, Haggis illustrates how individual actions affect others. Words, body language and actions invite reaction from those around you. As one review argues, “The key to changing stereotypes and prejudice is largely the job of individuals (123helpme.com 1)”. The change starts with one and that individual affects others. Without the change of one, the destruction of society is unavoidable.

Crash holds nothing back. The story concentrates on the legitimacy of racism and does not giftwrap the issue. The title Crash fits the idea of the movie in that we all want to feel something; even if that means that we crash into each other. Humankind shares more similarities than difference; to concentrate on the similarities would encourage healing between us all. Educator Sharon Davis believes: “Locked inside hearts and minds is the resilient potential to resolve the [racial] challenges we face” (Davis 45). Education and self-evaluation have proven to be effective in healing racism, if that is combined with empathy; we the people can redeem society.   

Works Cited

Crash. Dir. Paul Haggis. Lions Gate, 2004. Film

Davis, Sharon E. "The Oneness of Humankind: Healing Racism Today." Reclaiming Children & Youth 18.4 (2010): 44-47. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 17 Sept. 2010.

"Prejudice and Stereotyping in the Movie, Crash." 123HelpMe.com. 23 Oct 2010
    <http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=107639>.

Verma, Rita. "Dialogues about 9/11, the Media and Race." Radical Teacher 74 (2005): 12-16. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 16 Sept. 2010.