MovieChat Forums > Crash (2005) Discussion > One of the worst movies I've ever seen

One of the worst movies I've ever seen

posted 8 years ago by MattmanForever
11 replies | jump to latest

I mean it was jaw droppingly terrible. I was expecting something along the lines of Gandhi or Chariots of Fire or Driving Miss Daisy or Forrest Gump, something that wasn't nearly as good as whatever it was competing against, but at least sort of well made. I really couldn't believe it. I feel like I actually had to pause it a few times just to take in how terrible it was. How could this possibly have been nominated for *beep* anything? Brokeback Mountain winning the award would have been pure politics, but this was okay? For the record, I don't love Brokeback Mountain or Capote or Good Night Good Luck (haven't seen Munich yet) but literally any of those would have been better. I honestly don't understand how the film's cast isn't crippled with embarrassment anytime it gets brought up.

If you like this movie, honestly, please tell me why. Because everyone I've talked to who says they like it also says they haven't seen since it came out and/or they don't remember anything.

[–] TxMike 8 years ago

Since you ask I'll share with you my own personal perspective on "Crash".

In the opening Cheadle's character says something about people never touching each other in LA, and they want human contact so badly that they end up crashing into each other. The movie opens with a crash, and ends with a different crash. But to me the movie was about something else. It is about the dual lives most people live, the one where we do what we are expected to do, and the other where we do things under stress which represents who we really are. Many times during the movie this is played out as some type of bigotry, against blacks or whites, against Asians or middle easterns. The dialog is frank, and the story seldom leads where you think it will. That's what makes it so interesting.

The whole movie is over about a 24-hour period. During this time most of the characters come into contact with each other in convoluted ways which probably could never happen in real life, but makes an interesting way to show the ironies of life, how the hurter can become the helper, or vice versa.

..*.. TxMike ..*..

[–] ArtfulLodger 7 years ago

Thank you! Watching it now and the script is as subtle and nuanced as a JCB. Race/guns/race/guns/guns/race/race/guns/race ffs. Leaden and lumpy.

Edit - I think people are manipulated by the soundtrack into thinking there's something profound happening in a string of scenes with unrealistic and awkward dialogue.

[–] eviljawa101-245-848254 7 years ago

Really? I mean there are far worse movies out there. Superman IV, God's Not Dead, Halloween Resurrection, Battlefield Earth, Any of the Transformers sequels, Any of the Divergent movies, Any of the Twilight movies, Anything with Joe Spinell post-Maniac, that one Psycho remake, The Crow City of Angels, the list goes on. I only saw Crash recently, and while no, it didn't deserve to win Best Picture (Brokeback Mountain or Capote were both wonderful), I didn't think it was bad. Sure it was more than a little preachy, but I think the movie had its heart in the right place and that the filmmakers were genuinely trying to say something profound, which is more than I can say for a lot of movies. Plus it was beautifully shot, the acting was solid all around, and the score was just gorgeous. No, it shouldn't of one best picture nor is it the best movie of 2006. But I think that leaping from that to "one of the worst movies of all time" is a leap wider than the Grand Canyon.

[–] JRichardSingleton 7 years ago

2005 was a bad year for movies.

Oscars are often a popularity contest. This movie has a large cast of popular actors. That too.

I loved it the first time. Subsequent viewings make it bad. Features a more nuanced study of racism. The Deep montage wqs beautiful

[–] lane4 7 years ago

I hated it when I first saw it. It was very overrated the year it came out. It ruined any respect I had for the Oscars. I still do watch the Oscars for the entertainment, but I now know how their awards don't represent any artistic value.

[–] sage2112 7 years ago

You name 4 mediocre movies, then say you were expecting this to be like those. Fortunately, it was not.

[–] Wuchak (8167) 4 years ago

If you like this movie, honestly, please tell me why. Because everyone I've talked to who says they like it also says they haven't seen since it came out and/or they don't remember anything.

"Crash" is a quality drama that effectively fleshes out several characters in its less-than-2-hour timeframe. I've seen it four times. It expertly contrasts dark with light, ugliness with beauty, hate with love, carnality with spirituality. It's a complex psychological study: The abuser can also be a hero, the coward can make a bold stand, the active non-racist can fall prey to racism in a paranoid moment of misunderstanding, etc.

It's an involved story with several interwoven story lines; it ain't no mindless popcorn 'blockbuster' so a casual viewing won't cut it. Most of the negative criticisms about the film are by people who didn't watch closely and then lambaste the film with criticisms that aren't even legitimate, not to mention those who are bitter because it beat out their favored film at some irrelevant awards show.

The film is about more than racism; it's about stereotypes, hypocrites, abuse of power, the capacity for good or bad in every human soul, second chances, passive correction and shame, self-sacrifice, redemption, forgiveness, the last straw, manhood & emasculation, giving someone a break, true friendship, misunderstandings, favoritism and more.

[–] liscarkat (16621) 4 years ago

It's a pompous, self-righteous load of preachy rubbish that is, fortunately, mostly forgotten today.

[–] Wuchak (8167) 4 years ago

Since you don't elaborate on how it's supposedly pompous, self-righteous and preachy your denouncement is useless.

It's a well done drama about several interconnected people in Los Angeles from various races/ethnicities. The movie shows that there's good and bad in all of us, regardless of skin color, with several nuggets about the human condition. It's not one-dimensional at all. My post above offers details. Basically, if people like films like "Grand Canyon" (1991) they'll appreciate "Crash."

And, if the film is forgotten, why are we talking about it? Why did I just see it for the fourth time?