From the time it came out, I've heard many complaints about Crash. Most of them having to do with it's big score at the Oscars (many believe it wasn't entitled to bring home the Best Picture prize). But as an Oscar winning film I couldn't very well not watch it.
When I saw the words "post-September 11th" in the first line of its description I felt a cloud of despair. While many feel that 9/11 is too big to be included in film, I usually disagree, but when a film with that description wins an Oscar three years after the attack, you get the feeling that the Academy valued patriotism over quality.
Fortunately, this film had little to do with 9/11. Sure, there was a Persian family in the film suffering from post 9/11 racism, but most of the racial hate was surrounding the black community.
I found the subject of racism to be refreshing and honest. There haven't been too many films this solid on the subject since Do the Right Thing.
This film managed to pull off something unusual and satisfying. It was a serious ensemble film that worked well with all of its components. I walked into this half expecting The Sandra Bullock Show or something to that degree. This wasn't a star-stuffed vehicle, this was a portrait of many accomplished actors and actresses showcasing rich drama. Let's face it, whether they're executed correctly or not, ensemble films are fun. And this film, as dark and emotional as it was, was no exception.
