Race In The Movie: Crash, By Paul Haggis

Crash, written and directed by Paul Haggis, is a 2005 independent film that overturns most people’s vision of race in America, and made me squirm throughout its 120 minute run. This twelve year old film, succinctly packages race relations and prejudice, and the sad reality of American culture after 9/11 with a gaping racial divide.

The story takes place in Los Angeles, and addresses people’s misconceptions about others which is woven into the shocking finale. The story line does not follow time consecutively, but weaves the story through narrative past and present through flashbacks, of how race assumptions keep people from seeing other people. An Iranian named Farhad asks his daughter “They think we are Arab. When did Persian become Arab?”

The characters that impact us from the start are Anthony and Peter, two young black men who lament the fact that because of their skin color, they are viewed as criminals, when they could very well be UCLA students, except that they have guns and are criminals who boost high end cars. The theme throughout for these two characters is that society has shaped what they have become. Anthony: “You have no idea why they put those great big windows on the sides of busses, do you?” Peter: no I do not, why? Anthony: One reason only. To humiliate the people of color who are reduced to riding in them.”(Danbury & Haggis, 2005). These two characters had the most depth, were given the most time to discuss what Anthony was mad about, though Peter never fully

There was no political correctness in this movie, creating an environment that has great impact. The ugliest character, Officer Ryan, is abusive on the beat and is hard to work with, but still his coworkers have his back. At home he cares for his aging father, and in an attempt to secure better healthcare benefits, he verbally abuses an African American social worker, who has him escorted out. At movie’s end it is the social worker we see in a fender bender spouting racial slurs at the Middle Eastern person who hit