The movie begins where the story ends with a dead body at the side of the road. Detective Graham and his partner Ria, played by Don Cheadle and Jennifer Esposito, investigate. The film reveals a series of events which have led to the death. A wealthy black couple – Terrence Howard and Thandie Newton – are harassed by a policeman played by Matt Dillon. The district attorney and his wife – Brendan Fraser and Sandra Bullock – are car jacked. Although unrelated all these events have a domino effect.
The performances are riveting, especially Matt Dillon's angry and frustrated policeman. Haggis has created a thoughtful and provocative film that challenges you to examine your own levels of racial tolerance, and this could polarise audiences. Perhaps Crash's only flaw is its over reliance on coincidence, but we shouldn't so easily dismiss this fine example of quality cinema.
