Movie Analysis: Crash

Crash a film by Paul Haggis
“moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other”

As you watch the film, think about & answer the following questions.

1. What was your overall reaction to this movie? What emotions did you find yourself feeling during this film? Why?

It amazes me how people can be so racist. I was angry when the white cop searched the women the way he did. Then the guy that sells guns didn’t want to see the man a gun because of his race. Then the DA’s wife the way she acted I understood she had been through so much but she took it out on everyone and she acted very racist towards the man changing the locks and her own workers in that worked inside her own home.

2. Why is it important for social workers to see this film?

I think that the movie is important for social workers to watch because sometimes people really don’t understand or get the real world. This movie has so much different types of racism in it. The movie opened my eyes of how life really is for some people and I believe that we need that reminder now and then. This movie is a good learning tool.

3. Identify the persons or events that illustrate the idea of racism. Which of these, if any, do you think were a result of ignorance versus racist intentions?

The DA’s wife acted racist when she was walking down the road and saw two black men walking down the street and moved away from them because of fear. Then the locksmith that was changing the locks at the house was Mexican and had tattoos and his pants were baggy she assumed that he would get give a copy of the keys to his home boys. I also believe that she was a little racist towards the women that worked for her at her home.

Then the man that owned the store acted in a racist manner because he thought that the locksmith was trying to take advantage of him. Because he said that he replaced the lock but he needed a new door. The man accused him of trying to get more money out of him.

One of the white cops was racist towards the HMO office lady because she was black and he thought she wouldn’t help his dad because they were white. He told him that she didn’t deserve that job that a white man did.

Then you have another white cop that picked up a black man that needed a ride. They got to talking and the black man started to laugh and the cop thought he was laughing at him. The black guy was trying to pulling something out of his pocket to show the cop what he was laughing about and the cop shot him because she thought he had a gun. Then found it was the same they that the cop had on his dash board.

4. Choose one of the characters that behaved in a racist manner (due to ignorance or purposeful racism) and list five strengths that person shows in the movie.

I’m going with the white cop because he made me the maddest. Because he treated the women that he searched like trash and then the women in the HMO office like she didn’t mean anything.
Some of the strengths I found with him were that he loved and cared for his father, and that he has a job. One thing I though he did that was a strength was he put his racist beliefs aside and got the black women out of the car when it was on fire, he put his own life on the line to save her.

5. Which character could you see yourself helping as a social worker? Which would be the easiest to help? Which would be the hardest to help?

I would say that the DA’s wife would be one that I could work with. She seems that she really needs someone to just sit down with a talk and work through everything.

I think that the hardest would be the white cop because he is so head strong and thinks he is on top of the world.

6. What strengths-based “take-away” point would you suggest summarizes the diversity found in this film?

I guess I really don’t understand the question. But in different parts of the movie people put there racist to the side. Like the white cop that pulled the black lady out of the fire. Then you have the man that sells guns the daughter worked all that out.