This has a Robert Altman feel and was obviously influenced by Nashville and its successors. It's about racism in America but there's no KKK or Black Panther characters. It's more about shadings. (Probably a bad choice of term, but better than saying there was no black and white.) The acting is superb, with Ludacris the biggest surprise. He's a natural and nailed his part through the heart. (Of course it didn't hurt that he had the best lines.)

The only time I hit the FF button was when the "acting" scenes ran too long. And too many of them did. The actors want opportunities to strut their chops. But my thumb thought a number of what should have been straightforward scenes about relationships and such ran longer than they should -- okay, we know you're a good father and we know you love your daughter, now get off the screen. Sort of like writers who fall in love with the sound of their own words and ramble on about wallpaper patterns and waving meadows of grass. My thumb screamed "We know! We know!" and jumped on the button.

I've said more than I intended. Better quit now.

FF= 1.5

This has a Robert Altman feel and was obviously influenced by Nashville and its successors. It's about racism in America but there's no KKK or Black Panther characters. It's more about shadings. (Probably a bad choice of term, but better than saying there was no black and white.) The acting is superb, with Ludacris the biggest surprise. He's a natural and nailed his part through the heart. (Of course it didn't hurt that he had the best lines.)

The only time I hit the FF button was when the "acting" scenes ran too long. And too many of them did. The actors want opportunities to strut their chops. But my thumb thought a number of what should have been straightforward scenes about relationships and such ran longer than they should -- okay, we know you're a good father and we know you love your daughter, now get off the screen. Sort of like writers who fall in love with the sound of their own words and ramble on about wallpaper patterns and waving meadows of grass. My thumb screamed "We know! We know!" and jumped on the button.

I've said more than I intended. Better quit now.

FF= 1.5

And another filmmaker it borrows [heavily] from is Paul Anderson with the particular song and montage used towards the end - just as Anderson used in Magnolia (a film one can love or hate - with me being a lover).
In fact, it's not just the montage sequence that steals from him, but the song utilized is almost the spitting image of the one Amy Mann did for Magnolia.
A most blatant form of "flattery." :-)
p.s. One of my ONLY complaints of the brilliant Crash is the somewhat unrealistic dialogue delivered by Ludacris. It was a little too scripted and not very "real" for the streets. But the film, overall, is near flawless to me. (Great score by Isham as well.)

Sort of like writers who fall in love with the sound of their own words and ramble on about wallpaper patterns and waving meadows of grass.

Are any of these writers found in the "K" section at the book store?

Are any of these writers found in the "K" section at the book store?

Yes - he certainly goes on endlessly about minutae a little too often.

Just watched this and loved every minute of it. It never got boring and I loved how they tackled racism head-on. It seemed brutally honest to me. High recommend.

I didn't like it at all. WAY to overdramatic. Why can't people tackle racism without overdoing it to the extreme.

This was not real enough to me. The only character that seemed genuine was Sandra Bullock. The rest all seemed like they were written by a guy who has no idea what city life is all about.

Real racism is usually very subtle, you may not even notice it until later thinking back about it. Example- when I was working a couple years ago a black guy I was real good friends with got written up for a safety violation that I had done a million times myself. Well, how come I was never written up about it? Was is becuase I was white...maybe. Was it because I was always a more likeable person then my 'sometimes crabby' buddy... maybe. Or maybe it was a combonation. Regardless, those are the types of things that need to be looked at.


This movie however was so in your face (Hey Look! He's a racist he feeling up a black woman!) that it just didn't seem believable.

But I did enjoy the acting and the moody music.

Was is becuase I was white...maybe. Was it because I was always a more likeable person then my 'sometimes crabby' buddy... maybe. Or maybe it was a combonation. Regardless, those are the types of things that need to be looked at.

But not in a movie. You need drama to make people want to fork over their beer money.

But not in a movie. You need drama to make people want to fork over their beer money.

I agree 100%, but to then hear the pundits talk about how "realistic" such movies are is galling. To get the money it must be entertaining but then it loses realism.

I agree 100%, but to then hear the pundits talk about how "realistic" such movies are is galling. To get the money it must be entertaining but then it loses realism.

I'm not sure it's even possible to talk about race in America in an entertaining film. Who's tried? Spike Lee, maybe?

But not in a movie. You need drama to make people want to fork over their beer money.

LOL!

I wanna go to your theater! All we get to drink is watered down cola.