(no subject)
Oscar noms are starting in a few minutes. In light of Crash and its very probable Best Picture nomination, I just had to voice my dissenting opinion. In fragments, because I never finished my review. I exaggerated for emphasis.
"In short: a transparent and simple film that thinks it’s complex. A film that tries to involve the audience but feels oddly distant and manipulative. It can’t decide what it wants to say about race so it tries to tackle the whole of racially-driven emotion and experience--but then does so in strict dualisms (good/bad, happy/sad/, smart/stupid, tense/relieved).
...
Crash feels much like an extended episode of some popular hour-long TV drama.
...
That said, the performances are mostly excellent, given the circumstances.
...
The "intersecting paths" thing was a little unbelievable in Traffic but forgivable there, because in all other respects it was a superior film. Here, by the time Ryan Phillippe's Officer Hanson completes the cycle of coincidence, I was wondering if there are, like, ten people in L.A.
...
The most intense moments (I think everyone has seen this but just in case) are much more manipulative and predictable than well-constructed.
...
And the very strange treatment of its Asian characters.
...
Some reviewers have called it too bleak, some have said the dialogue is too metaphorical and theatrical--these aren’t my problems with Crash. The film deludes itself into thinking that it’s something more than a single extended cliché, so some of us buy into its gritty hope and easy observances, but this reviewer was left cold."
"In short: a transparent and simple film that thinks it’s complex. A film that tries to involve the audience but feels oddly distant and manipulative. It can’t decide what it wants to say about race so it tries to tackle the whole of racially-driven emotion and experience--but then does so in strict dualisms (good/bad, happy/sad/, smart/stupid, tense/relieved).
...
Crash feels much like an extended episode of some popular hour-long TV drama.
...
That said, the performances are mostly excellent, given the circumstances.
...
The "intersecting paths" thing was a little unbelievable in Traffic but forgivable there, because in all other respects it was a superior film. Here, by the time Ryan Phillippe's Officer Hanson completes the cycle of coincidence, I was wondering if there are, like, ten people in L.A.
...
The most intense moments (I think everyone has seen this but just in case) are much more manipulative and predictable than well-constructed.
...
And the very strange treatment of its Asian characters.
...
Some reviewers have called it too bleak, some have said the dialogue is too metaphorical and theatrical--these aren’t my problems with Crash. The film deludes itself into thinking that it’s something more than a single extended cliché, so some of us buy into its gritty hope and easy observances, but this reviewer was left cold."