The polarization of "Crash"

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

First and foremost, the film felt like it was written and directed by two people who have never experienced racism firsthand nor seem to know what it actually feels like to be on the receiving end of it. ... My question to these filmmakers is 'What do you know about racism?'

The deal with racist people is that most of their racist tendencies are never overtly displayed to the people they are targeting. It happens inconspicuously. ... Racism is a problem because a lot of it is covert.

It just seemed to me that you were implying a familiarity with racism was important to creating a film about racism, and one of the reasons you disliked the movie is that you believed the filmmakers misunderstood the nature of racism in having their 12 characters display it so obviously.

If I read you right, you weren't buying it because it didn't seem "real" to you. Well, it seems real to plenty of people living in L.A. To think that you couldn't find a dozen people who are over-the-top racists in this town is laughable. Certainly a story involving near-impossible coincidences in plot as its structure can be allowed the coincidence of involving overtly racist characters to be involved in that plot.

I'm not the one who claimed you needed a familiarity with racism to make or appreciate this film. I'm sorry if you were offended that I found your own experience somewhat limited if you think it has to be covert to smack of reality. Try being black or Korean in L.A. and then tell me how covert the racism is in this town.


BTW, the anachronistic term "China Man" was speficially chosen by the filmmakers to be the most insulting term applicable to a Korean. Yeah, no one really says it anymore. It was intended to be jolting and noticeable. A story where 12 characters are connected by vehicle incidents in a series of unlikely coincidences is not going for reality in every aspect anyways.


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Ooooh, and look how polarizing even a thread about 'Crash' is!!! Gemini Cricket and I are having our worst message board fight since ... well, since our discussion of 'Rent.'

(Maybe we can strike a bin Ladan truce over our mutual love for Brokeback Mountain.)