"CRASH" Movie Review
“Crash” Movie Review
(Not the David Cronenberg film)
We’re all pretty spoiled these days. It takes a lot to really wow us at the movies. We’ve crapped our pants over amazing computer generated dinosaurs, outer-space war sequences and the resurrection of the Coliseum. So although we can have some light-hearted laughs during 8 Legged Freaks, our innocence has been tarnished to the point where we really don’t believe that we’re witnessing giant spiders. Science fiction films I loved as a kid look “cheesy” or “lame” to my 9 year old. “That is sooo fake Dad!”
Where to go now? Computers can’t do it all. Crash answers that question with a single moment in its hour and a half social commentary. No, it’s not for kids – and my son wouldn’t get what is great about Crash either. But, for the first time in a while I was blown away by a new experience during a movie. The new technology isn’t new; it’s not even a technology. The film makers simply kicked my ass with a single scene in which Tony Danza acts his ass off. This is maybe 2 minutes long – but Mr. Tony Danza should win an Oscar! I’m serious! Usually I hear, “Oh, Angela” in the back of my head when he appears on television. Not in Crash! He gives the type of performance you expect someone like Tarrantino to squeeze out of a has-been b-movie actor from the 70’s. Intense – believable. I looked like a real moron reaching for my TiVo remote in the theatre.
The rest of Crash is good. This is a very ambitious movie that bites off more than it can chew. Nice effort though. You have to give them credit for approaching this material without getting sucked into a particular side of the spin. Equal time here – rare and refreshing. My man Tony was great, but the rest of the cast was top notch as well. There was even a rapper that didn’t suck (Chris ‘Ludacris” Bridges). Sandra Bullock gives probably the best performance of her life (Besides ‘Armed and Fabulous’). Don Cheadle, as usual, was right on target and interesting to watch. Also featured Matt Dillon playing the same dude from ‘My Bodyguard’ and Brendan Fraser looking like he’s trying to keep his head above water in the company of the rest of this ensemble.
There is this one storyline with a cute little girl getting shot that I could have done without. Some over-the-top (Not arm wresting!) plot blemishes that make you roll your eyes and cry, “Can’t we just all get along?”. But I can forgive these minor points. Like I said, this was an ambitious film. Every 10 years someone makes this same film, some better than others. This one was pretty good and Tony Danza's performance alone was worth the price of admission.
I give it 4 Coors Hip-Hop MC Brews out of 5
(Not the David Cronenberg film)
We’re all pretty spoiled these days. It takes a lot to really wow us at the movies. We’ve crapped our pants over amazing computer generated dinosaurs, outer-space war sequences and the resurrection of the Coliseum. So although we can have some light-hearted laughs during 8 Legged Freaks, our innocence has been tarnished to the point where we really don’t believe that we’re witnessing giant spiders. Science fiction films I loved as a kid look “cheesy” or “lame” to my 9 year old. “That is sooo fake Dad!”
Where to go now? Computers can’t do it all. Crash answers that question with a single moment in its hour and a half social commentary. No, it’s not for kids – and my son wouldn’t get what is great about Crash either. But, for the first time in a while I was blown away by a new experience during a movie. The new technology isn’t new; it’s not even a technology. The film makers simply kicked my ass with a single scene in which Tony Danza acts his ass off. This is maybe 2 minutes long – but Mr. Tony Danza should win an Oscar! I’m serious! Usually I hear, “Oh, Angela” in the back of my head when he appears on television. Not in Crash! He gives the type of performance you expect someone like Tarrantino to squeeze out of a has-been b-movie actor from the 70’s. Intense – believable. I looked like a real moron reaching for my TiVo remote in the theatre.
The rest of Crash is good. This is a very ambitious movie that bites off more than it can chew. Nice effort though. You have to give them credit for approaching this material without getting sucked into a particular side of the spin. Equal time here – rare and refreshing. My man Tony was great, but the rest of the cast was top notch as well. There was even a rapper that didn’t suck (Chris ‘Ludacris” Bridges). Sandra Bullock gives probably the best performance of her life (Besides ‘Armed and Fabulous’). Don Cheadle, as usual, was right on target and interesting to watch. Also featured Matt Dillon playing the same dude from ‘My Bodyguard’ and Brendan Fraser looking like he’s trying to keep his head above water in the company of the rest of this ensemble.
There is this one storyline with a cute little girl getting shot that I could have done without. Some over-the-top (Not arm wresting!) plot blemishes that make you roll your eyes and cry, “Can’t we just all get along?”. But I can forgive these minor points. Like I said, this was an ambitious film. Every 10 years someone makes this same film, some better than others. This one was pretty good and Tony Danza's performance alone was worth the price of admission.
I give it 4 Coors Hip-Hop MC Brews out of 5
posted by tacohead at
1:49 PM
