MovieChat Forums > Crash (1997) Discussion > A few questions at the beginning....

A few questions at the beginning....

posted 8 years ago by Eat_yourself
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I love this film, but I've recently rewatched it and there's a few things that still puzzle me during the set up, so I'd love to hear some opinions.

1. Why isn't Holly Hunters character upset at James? Isn't it down to his negligence that her husband died? She clutches her cane the first time she's sees him, but after that they have pretty much become friends without anything spoken about her husband.

2. Why doesn't she freak out when James almost crashes his car the second time? If her husband died and she knows he's driving recklessly again, wouldn't this make you angry?

3. Why doesn't James seem to care that he killed someone? The way he talks about it in the hospital bed, it's as if he was ticking something off his bucket list and didn't seem to have a shread of guilt.

4.What kind of productions does James work involve, it doesn't seem like pornography because of the sets shown at the beginning

This isn't a criticism of the film, I'm aware it is deliberately presented like this and am curious as to why.

[–] Midnight-Boy 8 years ago

I'll attempt to answer these!

1. It was totally James' fault her husband died, I know! She must have had one hell of a bad marriage?! Lol! I don't know with this one. She was too busy with the feelings the crash had awoke in her.

2. The near crash evoked nothing but pure excitement in both of them, hence her immediate suggestion of somewhere intimate and James' almost near instantaneous orgasm - always funny!

3. He does say it was almost a relief to have FINALLY been in a car crash, after being bombarded endlessly for years by road safety propaganda, so basically, he's more curious about dwelling on the crash' effect on HIM rather than the life he took. The Ballards are kinda selfish, self involved people.

4. He works in TV advertising, I believe, the screenplay states this. He's an ad exec.

As Cronenberg said, if you apply rational and normal movie opinions or assumptions to the characters in Crash, you're likey to come away frustrated. Best not to question some of it, lol!

Like, why no police AT ALL at the final crash? How long are they down there with zero sirens?! Why let the police spoil a beautifully perfect and tender moment, eh?