Crash

"Crash" is probably the best movie of the year that you are not going to rush out to see. A gripping and intense depiction of race relations in post-9/11 Los Angeles, it is not a feel-good movie in any sense, and will leave you in your seat as the credits move up the screen and you digest what you've just seen.

This is one of those movies that does not follow one linear storyline, but instead takes at least eight different stories and weaves them together into something that is still easy to follow. Written and directed by Paul Haggis, who also wrote "Million Dollar Baby", "Crash" takes movies dealing with race relations to an entirely new level.

Realizing it's not simply a black-and-white world in which we live, Haggis' characters are as varied as L.A. itself. We follow a police detective (Don Cheadle) who is dealing with a heroin-addicted mother and absent brother, a Persian store owner, a Mexican locksmith, an African-American television producer and his wife (Thandie Newton) who are confronted by a racist police officer (Matt Dillon), and two car-jackers (one played by Ludacris) who provide some comic relief and surprising emotion. There are more, but you probably get the point. These worlds don't collide into one big story, but Haggis instead shows how simple actions impact everyone's world.

To convey the emotional impact of "Crash" in a simple review is really not possible. Every single performance stands out, and you feel their pain, confusion, and torment. There is no weak link. "Crash" is an outstanding piece of filmmaking. I give it an A+.

"Crash" is rated R with a running time of 107 minutes.