Crash (2005)

Wow. Um... I respect this film for taking on a big issue and trying to show that racism isn't always a cut-and-dried affair, but Jesus this thing is a load of manipulative crap. All the good acting in the world can't redeem the cruddy screenplay, in which people pronounce statements rather than deliver dialogue and everyone's fate is decided via schoolboy irony. (Most reprehensibly manipulative subplot: The Hispanic locksmith and his daughter.) Godard can get away with declamatory stuff like this because he's doesn't pretend to work with naturalism. Writer/director Paul Haggis tries to cloak his messages inside the story, and as a result he just looks like a jackass who's trying too hard to impress guilty white liberals. The emperor's ass is hanging out on this one, people. You all should be ashamed for liking this.

Grade: C-