Sociological movie making - Crash!

 

Cast Sandra Bullock Don Cheadle Matt Dillon Thandie Newton Brendan Fraser William Fichtner Jennifer Esposito Ryan Phillippe Tony Danza Keith David

Directors Paul Haggis

Screenwriters Paul Haggis Bobby Moresco

I hadn't realised that the cop was Ryan Phillippe.  Paul Haggis also wrote and directed In the valley of Elah. I gave them both a 3.75/5. Hmmm not a great film either of them but though provoking and difficult subject matter to tackle without being too sacremental
It makes it's strong points about racism and prejudices and fear and hatred. Ingroups and outgroups - (Tajfel). And anger and blame. How people take out their issues on others. Lack of self awareness and all about self gain. This all ends happily except for the one happy-go-lucky criminal and the suffering father. It's a creul world according to this film. There was no goodness overall. The odd deed of true humanity but a rarity. And the criminal who has certain morals right at the end. And the righteous black woman who is suddenly racist against chinese - and so on and so on.
Yup it mades it's point alright. It saddened me to have it all highlighted like that.

I remembered how threatened I suddenly felt when in Johannesburg. I was too flipping arrognat prior to that to realise I could be a minority. I was suddenly very aware that I was an unwelcome white. And then the risk we took without even realising it when we decided to drive from Pretoria, beautiful Pretoria to Sun City - 3 hours of driving without another car or town. It was all so spontaneou but now I would really be overly cautious and not do it without better preparation. At the time I just didn;t even consider the dangers. And after all we made it OK. That was always how my life was .... when did it change. When did I start becoming cautious to the point of withdrawal and anxiety. And after reading today how the brain cells are actually different in those people who have depression .... interesting.
In Niger there just wasn't the same hostilility. The very opposite. Not subservient but definitely interested in us whitey's. L.A. Well that was a culture shock. I didn't believe anyone when they said no one walks anywhere because it's too dangerous. Not even across the street. So off I went to the off licence over the road. Very quickly I realised this was trouble. I ran back to the hotel room. That was the last time and I had to buy into the fear and do what everyone did - for my own safety.
Having been to New York from 1978 until 1998 I truly saw some changes in the fears and attitudes. The zero tolerance did alter things - in downtown Manhattan - but not out of the centre. Bronx and Queens were still troubled areas. And then even in the rich suburbs like Garden City, well I saw the wealthy whites and the poor blacks.
As I was writing to my friend, I feel sad about the way folk focus on the differences. Sure there are differences, we are each and every one of us individual. But we are all humans and there are more similarities if we could only all find love. I say that to someone like my dad and he immediately picks up on "their" attitude towards "us". Ugh! Putting me in his us is so uncomfortable. Anyway, it's everyone, every race, culture, religion, community, person. If everyone could put away the differences and enmbrace the similarities - there is a lot of repairing to do. I think there are increasing numbers of people working in that direction. Not enough. I have my prejudices - I realise that I have been anti fat people and older people at differnt times. Not rude or mean. But I would probably choose to talk to someone else. I am not like this I hope now. I try to embrace everyone. I realise I can't like everyone as their are differences that cannot be overcome but I do not hate and want to destroy because of the differences. I can agree to disagree and use that as a way to explore my differences. No blame or shaming.
I pray for more people to be more tolerant and patient. I pray for that for myself.
But this has been going on since the day Adam bit into the apple and Cain and Abel were born. We have a long way to go before there is ever an Eden again.

So anyway this film is critiqued as a socialogical presentation and that it was. It certainly evoked feelings in me. I get very stressed in films anticipating the killing or the trouble or similar. I realied I ate 2 apples on the stress of anticipation. Not good.

Bliss
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