CRASH

I managed to finally watch 'CRASH' last week (after lugging the DVD in my bag for the last month or so). This show won the Oscar this year, upstaging the favourite 'Brokeback Mountain'. I don't think CRASH was shown in Malaysia (if it did, I missed it); as with Brokeback.

I figure that the censorship board, or the Information Minister (again) think that Malaysian brains are too juvenile to see shows like these (or live parliamentary proceedings for that matter).

I loved the show. Watching it was a gut wrenching experience. I was led through an emotional roller coaster ride as I watched the story unfold. The plot was simple; 24 hours in the lives of various people in the post 9/11 LA.

We have the white DA (who was more concerned about his image than his wife) and his bigot wife; a Persian family; a Latino family; a black detective with a white partner/girlfriend/lover; a black family; a pair of black car-jackers; a chinese human-trafficker; a white cop (rookie) who struggled with his convictions about race relations and a black (who didn't think he is one) movie producer and his colored wife. In a span of 24 hours, their lives collided.

I saw racism, prejudices and sheer hatred as I watched the movie. Juxtaposed in between were moments of grace and even a miracle! (of some sort anyway). The climax had to be the scene depicted in the picture here (you want to know...go see the show).

I came away having a mixed feeling in my heart. My whole soul screamed out "No! No! No!" as I watched one scene of misunderstanding, hatred, prejudice after another; but deep within I knew that it was real, so real. It's not hard to imagine the same thing happening in our so called 'multi-ethnic society living in complete harmony'.

In fact, despite all the media hype and lovely jingle about how nice and loving we are and how we can 'Boleh' (Can Do) in everything; there are some things that we just 'tak boleh' (can't). Race relation is a very fragile thing. I fear that, looking at the present scenario, very soon life will imitate art and not the other way round.

In my books, this movie deserved all the accolades it received. Brokeback was like Looney-tunes compared to this show.