Crash (2004)

"Crash Into Me" 

As I lifted the display case off the shelf at Blockbuster, giant red flags started going up all over the place.  The list of cast members on the front cover was only impressive because of the volume of recognizable names.  However, the names I recognized were underwhelming at best. 

Headlining the film was Sandra Bullock... Star of hits such as Miss Congeniality 2, Hope Floats, and Two Weeks Notice.  Again, not building my confidence in these movie critics who are gushing on the back cover...

Brendan Fraser was one that really leapt out at me.  This was the man who brought us Monkey Bone, George of the Jungle, Looney Tunes Back In Action, and Blast from the Past.  Was I really about to put the next two hours of my life in his hands as he played Sandra Bullock's husband?  But the four stars kept me reading...

Ah, Ryan Phillippe as a young Los Angeles police officer.  A portrayal that is sure to strike fear into the hearts of South Central ganstas.  This movie is losing credibility fast.  Between pretty boy Ryan and Sandra Bullock, we've got to be looking at a chick flick.  Add in the stupidity Brendan Fraser is sure to bring to the table and things just get ludicrous. 

Or should I say Ludacris.  That's right, every thirteen year old girl's favorite rapper is making an appearance as well.  At this point, I'm just shocked that someone decided to spend countless hours writing a script, and then okayed it when the casting director handed him a list with Brendan Fraser,  Sandra Bullock, Ryan Phillippe, and Ludacris.  Still at this point, I'm thinking that if nothing else, the unintentional comedy has got to be through the roof with this thing.  But I'm still not sold on the idea...

That is, until I read the name Don Cheadle.  The man has only let me down once, with Ocean's Twelve.  I decided to give him and the critics the benefit of the doubt and roll the dice with those other clowns.  The dice came up seven. Crash ended up being the best movie I've seen in quite a while.  That's not saying much considering the current state of Hollywood, but impressive nonetheless.  Did it blow my mind with some amazing twist?  No.  Is it a movie I could watch over and over again?  Not really.  But on a first run, it managed to be extremely entertaining, and it definitely made me laugh.  Maybe this isn't a good thing to admit, but I think that racial jokes can be hilarious.  Crash is chock full of them.

I totally think racism is wrong.  I have friends from every race.  My hero, Kevin Garnett, is African American.  I went to a high-school where I was the minority as a white guy.  I work in a youth group where most kids are minorities. So when I look at people, I don't see them as a black person or an Asian person.  I see them as a person.  And I think one way to get everyone to that point is to stop getting all bent out of shape at racial jokes.

I know a lot of people might find it offensive, but hear me out.  Look at how Crash used the racial joke.  First off, it made fun of all races equally.  Secondly, the whole point of the movie was to point out how stupid racism is.  I think racial jokes about white people are just as funny as racial jokes about black people.  I think they help us to see past our differences, because they make light of them.  The more serious we are about maintaining barriers and making certain topics taboo, the more serious of a problem racism becomes.  Racial jokes encourage discussion, and can bring people closer.  Ludacris and I might have absolutely nothing in common.  But if he can non-maliciously poke fun at my people, and I can do the same to his, suddenly there's a little bit of common ground there.  So sorry about my little rant.  You might not agree, one bit.  But that's fine.  What I really meant to say in all of this was that Crash was an awesome movie.  And that Brendan Fraser, never one to disappoint, still managed to stink the place up.

DeROK's Take: