Crash

A meditation on the often unacknowledged undercurrents of racism in everyday American city life, Crash leaves the viewer with a lingering emotional potency that can lead to serious soul-searching, thanks in part to an impressive ensemble cast (including Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Fraser, Thandie Newton, and Ludacris) portraying a cultural cross-section of L.A. denizens connected to each other through crime, corruption, obligation, indignation, and chance. The most powerful storyline here features Matt Dillon and Ryan Phillippe as beat cops--one jaded and abusive, the other fresh and idealistic--who pull over and harass (much to Phillippe's dismay) a black yuppie couple whose SUV vaguely fits the description of a carjacked vehicle. Within 24 hours, they will all cross paths again in separate incidents of incredibly high tension that challenge both the prejudices that have formed between them and the audience's conclusions. Similarly dynamic table-turning and judgment-testing episodes occur in the other parallel plots, as writer-director Paul Haggis (who penned Million Dollar Baby) lays bare many of the social and psychological issues that generally get swept under the rug. Crash is not a film that will change the world, but it does get at simple truths of racial discord in a way that is absorbing, intelligent, and thought-provoking, while remaining entirely accessible. Recommended. [Note: Available in either widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include an intro by director Paul Haggis, audio commentary (by Haggis, writer/producer Bobby Moresco, and costar/producer Don Cheadle), a 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, the music video “If I…” by Kansascali (5 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for one of 2005’s better films.] (R. Blackwelder)[DVD Review— Apr. 4, 2006—Lions Gate, 2 discs, 115 min., not rated, $26.98—Making its second appearance on DVD, 2004's Crash (Director's Cut) sports a great transfer with new DVD extras on this double-disc release including a 28-minute “Behind the Metal and Glass” making-of featurette, “L.A.: The Other Main Character” on the film's location (15 min.), the 12-minute featurette “Unspoken” on the film's racial themes, eight deleted scenes with optional commentary (11 min.), two script-to-scene segments (8 min.), two storyboard-to-scene segments (6 min.), a five-minute featurette “On Paul Haggis” (5 min.), two music montages (5 min.), the “In the Deep” music video performed by Bird York, and trailers. Bottom line: those who don't already own the initial release of this Best Picture winner will want to pick up this value-added two-disc edition.]