Stereotypes In The Movie Crash

The focus of the movie Crash is on racial and ethnic tensions in the Los Angeles area. This film tells a fictional story that revolves around a series of criminal events in the Los Angeles area involving the interactions of a racially and ethnically diverse mix of characters. The main theme of the film is that all people contribute to racial and ethnic stereotypes and these stereotypes surface in a variety of ways as people continuously interact with one another in society. This movie clearly tackles issues of race and ethnicity in a unique way because by watching the film, it has the capacity to make the audience stop and think about their own racial biases that they hold. Definite soul searching can come from this movie, as well as one

can not only realize but also to hopefully understand their own attitudes and behaviors on subjects of interpersonal race and ethnic relations. While Crash uses interlinking stories of whites, blacks, Latinos, Koreans, Iranians, cops and criminals, the rich and the poor, the powerful and powerless, one theme that is common is all are defined in one way or another by racism. Also, all are victims of prejudices but also all are guilty of it as well. In this film, I see how the lives of the character’s crash against one another like waves crash on the oceanfront. Also, what is presented in this film, is that most people feel prejudice and resentment against members of other groups, and observes the consequences of those feelings. From that, a message of the assumptions people holds of other ethnic and cultural groups prevent them from seeing the actual person standing in front of them.
There are definitely no filters used in this film which gives a clear representation of society’s prejudices on the diversity that surround us. The movie itself contains coldness, hurt, cruelty, and shame but it ends as everyone learning that they all share similarities in fears and hopes. It addresses the problems of modern society, violence, cynicism of people towards each other and especially towards members of other ethnic cultures. This is especially true for our country as it unites many nationalities, which among them conflicts constantly arise. This film helps to bring awareness of the difficulties people have when it comes to try and understand each other, especially when people come from completely different cultures and upbringing. But also the tragic consequences that come from these difficulties in understanding other cultures is depicted. The movie line was so well written and to me it helps to highlight the perpetuation of racism through over political correctness and over analysis.
What I noticed also in this film is 10 of the 23 main characters are shown engaging in race/ethnic-based behavior or making stereotypical comments between race/ethnicity with clear reproachful inference toward one or more of the characters in the scene.

Of these characters five are White, three are Black, one was Hispanic, and one was Chinese. In total, there are 16 instances of this type of behavior in the film. In the film, there is also evidence of a clear pattern of differences in the presentation of this behavior across race/ethnicity of the character engaging in the pained behavior of making the stereotypical comment. There are clear differences in the context in which these statements and behaviors are displayed as well especially for the white characters in comparison to the minority characters. To me this film illustrates White and minority characters differently with respect to the use of race/ethnic-based behavior and stereotyped communication. What I clearly denoted was that the White characters display of race/ethnicity-based behavior and stereotyped statements are presented in a positive light – as being the victim of social circumstances. Which in turn leads them to have stereotyped and prejudicial attitudes. The minority characters, however, are shown as being criminal, as holding uninformed stereotyped beliefs, as using derogatory statements against members of their own race, and as holding extreme views about the nature of

harassment.
What comes from this film is an important message to get people talking about racial/ ethnic stereotypical beliefs and behaviors.

Also what comes from this film is that everyone has prejudices. Even if it is not displayed all the time it is either in the subconscious mind or only expressed under circumstances of threat and fear. While Crash points out those racial stereotypes that people deem to be true, it also shows how those beliefs can lead to violent, unfair actions. In other words, those false beliefs influence the way people view people especially people of another culture or race. The stereotypes lead the characters of this film to have prejudices about certain people in the movie, much like people in society do on a daily basis. Crash does a great job showing that every race is guilty of having prejudiced beliefs, and this film points out we are all interconnected in one way or another. So from this, this film’s important message is to show people they shouldn’t believe ever stereotype they are told, and consider the possibility that all people of the same race are alike. There are different types of people in every race, whether that means good or bad people, or smart or dumb people. There are no personality traits that every person of a race has. In fact, this movie, to me, was a real eye opener just by the message of how each and every one of us judges every single ethnic group. Crash was a perfect example of how stereotyping, bias, and prejudices run

rampant in our world. Judgments are made about people before we even know anything about them. From that, people are quick to judge and berate others when they really have no reason to. It is clear from watching this movie that each of us has faults and each of us are guilty of offending others.