Crash Paul Haggis' 2004 Film Film Review

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The scene where Ryan touches Cameron's wife shows us that there is this distorted belief white authority posses: that they can do whatever it is they want because they have been given the authority of the law and the authority of society as a superior race. The white authority uses this to its own advantage, to pursue its own desires and interests, all the while denying others the respect that they deserve as human beings.

The problem with the depiction of law enforcement in the movie is that everything seems to be smoothed out by personal acts of kindness -- and tolerance. Officer Jack Ryan saves Christine at the end of the movie -- even though she initially doesn't accept his help -- and we are meant to believe that years of intolerance has been washed away because he decides to act like a good human being (or not even good -- but decent). Overall, the film does not do a good job of depicting the problem of racism in America; it is much too simplistic and this is especially true when it comes to the law enforcement officials and how they have been renowned for acting intolerably and unjust with persons of color (e.g., Rodney King).

One of the best parts of the film and one that is the most realistic, arguably, is where Cameron decides that he has had enough. He has lost the respect of his wife because he didn't do anything when she was being assaulted; he has let them -- the officers -- take away his own (and his wife's) dignity.

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When Cameron and Anthony are pulled over after being chased by police, Cameron points a gun at officers who are aiming back at them. He yells to them, "Here I am...," and Cameron is able to take back his dignity in a sort of Malcolm X kind of way. Cameron was an upstanding citizen before his run-in with the police and he is forced to act in a way that isn't who he is because he has had his liberties jeopardized by corrupt law enforcement officials.

The movie tries to give us reason to justify why Jack Ryan acts the way he does, but the fact is that there is nothing in the world that could happen to him to give him the power to take away the freedoms of someone else -- as a police officer or as a civilian. This sort of simplistic depiction of how people become intolerant is rather insulting to Americans -- and, one would think -- especially to African-Americans. The whole thing is sort of making light of hundreds of years of factual inequality and downright abuse at the hands of white people.

Overall, the film glossed over the critical aspects of law enforcement that need to be dealt with in this country if we are ever to have a more civil society where those in power serve and protect like they are….....

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