Crash

The Crash is an American drama film written and directed by Paul Haggis that was released in 2004. In this video, social and racial tensions in Los Angeles are depicted (Al Junaibi, 2016). The film, which Haggis describes as his "passion piece," was inspired by a real-life incident in which his car was carjacked near a video store on Wilshire Boulevard in 1991. Throughout the two days, the stories of different characters intertwine (Leslie-Toogood, 2012). A black detective estranged from his mother, a dark movie director whose wife is forced to question the cop, and the detective's brother and gangmate. It also includes a chauvinist white cop who despises his ideal mate, a Caucasian district attorney, and his irritated, pampered wife, and a distant Persian father who cares about others and a diligent Hispanic locksmith. The movie handles racialism rather in a more equitable way; instead of distinguishing characters into offenders and victims (CARROLL, 2010). Racist victims are usually presented to be biased themselves in varied situations and settings; racial comments and undertakings are obtained from misconception and ignorance rather than vindictiveness.
Criminality Theories in the Movie
Multiple theories of crime are displayed in the film. The first is the Radical Criminology theory which relates to Friedrich Engles, Karl Marx, and William Chambliss (CARROLL, 2010). In the movie, Peter and Anthony are portrayed as belonging to the middle class who are oppressed, hopeless and unlucky. Fahrad the shopkeeper is also described as a person who is forced into the world of crime by the lack of hope due to feeling mistreated by a false system. Chambliss’ theory which states that the middle and upper-class usually evade punishment is also emphasized through an enraged between Hansen and Cameron, a wealthy movie director (Al Junaibi, 2016). Cameron, an accomplished African-American man in a costly motor vehicle, is freed as Anthony squeezes in the fore seat-implying that if Anthony would have been arrested without warning had he been found out.
The Feminist theory is presented when Christine responds while being arrested with fierce anger and hostile flare-up when she is commanded and controlled by the police (Al Junaibi, 2016). Her dignity is further taken away when the police molest her. She responds with gentle scorn and violence to her spouse, Cameron whom she thought was not safeguarding her to preserve his own self-respect (CARROLL, 2010). Through Christine, severe gender issues are observed when she is subdued to the career of her husband and reacts powerfully to the same when the whole situation leads to her sexual assault. Jean, who is Sandra Bullock’s character, is also an assistant in her husband’s career who cares more about how being robbed by black people will influence his career as a politician, than the traumatizing experience by his wife.
Another criminality theory, Instrumental Marxism can be seen through the views of the less advantaged characters in the film (Leslie-Toogood, 2012). It can be noted how the needy are subjugated and downtrodden by police officers (Al Junaibi, 2016). A policeman who perceived all people to be racists’, ends up shooting Peter as a result of his personal prejudiced views. Before he killed him, the police mocked Peter by telling him that he could go ice skating, enjoy country music or would wish to play hockey. The relationship between citizens and the police can be described as racist, prejudiced, domineering and corrupt. Furthermore, forces behind the law appear to influence public image and form prescribed conclusions about views on race and twisted justice. The system of criminal justice is depicted as an instrument to manipulate the needy instead of acting as a tool of creating order, law, and justice (CARROLL, 2010). .
The theory of Critical Criminology can be seen when following Jean’s gunpoint robbery; she quickly forms assumptions about Daniel’s baggy clothes and tattoos, and orders for another change of her locks. She is a perfect example of upper-class arrogance preserving the superior class controlling the weak and she widely criticizes the hired help. She also causes every perceived slight to become aspects of criminality (CARROLL, 2010). .
The Left-realist Criminology theory though without a strong theme like the rest of conflict theories, is presented in the film. It is generally felt in the video that majority of the needy are depicted to commit crimes of deprivation and desperation, whereas the top elite and the police are the actual criminals. The real criminals frame the blameless to cover up for the crimes they commit including bribery, killings, and sexual deviancy (Leslie-Toogood, 2012).
While not a conflict theory, labeling theory is also evident in the film. It is observed through the self-labeling of many characters in the movie including a critical discussion by Peter and Anthony (CARROLL, 2010). Specifically, Anthony keeps the friction of society with him as entirely dependent on race. In spite of having a sibling who is an accomplished police investigator, Peter is a 3-strike convict who hardly sees any opportunity besides boosting cars, allowing to be labeled as a hoodlum by the society.
Deviance
Deviance which refers to violation of social norms is a common phenomenon which is easy to observe on a daily basis (Al Junaibi, 2016). In the film, Crash, several lives of total strangers traverse during a period of two days by way of multiple deviant activities. When perceived sociologically, numerous scenes all through the movie can provide understanding on other’s views and assist with widening the sociological curiosity (Leslie-Toogood, 2012). A Caucasian owner of a gun shop welcomes an Iranian man with his daughter who is searching for a weapon to buy from his shop. After listening to the customer and his daughter converse in Farsi, the owner of the shop displays his prejudice by applying racial profiling to conclude that the man was a terrorist CARROLL, 2010). The store’s owner’s preconception then results into intolerance when he orders the man and his daughter to leave the shop, simply because of their ethnic group. During this scene, the deviant behavior of the shop owner contravened the social standards as well as the rights of his customer.
Peter and Anthony, two black men, are strolling along the street conversing about the ill treatment they receive due to the color of their skin. They notice a Caucasian female walking in their direction that categorizes them as treacherous black men, and holds onto her husband. They then decide to steal the white couple’s car at gunpoint. The two offenders are the outcome of cultural differential and transmission relationship. It means that through their social communication and their associations with people whose viewpoints support criminal activities, they acquired knowledge in favor of criminal life (CARROLL, 2010). Officers Hansen and Ryan stopped by a married couple of black origin, having known all along that the couple had not committed any crime. Ryan decides to pester the couple and eventually sexually assaults the woman by fondling her in the unnecessary pat down. This behavior amounts to a crime of hate depending on the policeman’s preconception against the black couple. Deviance behavior in the film Crash can be categorized into Primary deviance and secondary deviance. Primary deviance refers to performing an act which is not socially accepted and the action is done in isolation (CARROLL, 2010). An illustration from the movie is when the policeman shoots at the young car robber. This act of murder is isolated as only two people were aware while it was socially unacceptable. Secondary deviance, on the other hand, is the repeated performance of an action in a socially unacceptable way (CARROLL, 2010). The act is performed so frequently until it forms part of the actor's identity. An illustration in the movie is when the blacks continuously rob cars.
Conclusion
The co-written American film, produced and directed by Haggis, outlines numerous social theories some of which are criminality principles. The film demonstrates how human behavior is formed majorly by life in a group and that a personal decision can influence the whole group (Al Junaibi, 2016). The critical issue all through the film ranges over the main topic of racism as well as the diverse views of cultures. The film’s setting is Los Angeles city, where culture is different with a mixture of nationalities across the world. The movie is aimed at portraying a variety of cultures that exist in real life. The sociological key themes in the film focus on socioeconomic class, race, and gender. All the topics illustrate the dynamic existence of racial prejudice and intolerance within the multicultural society. The major pattern is social conflict hence the criminality theories associated with criminal incidences surrounding social conflict (Leslie-Toogood, 2012). All in all, the film has various sociological concepts which could be reviewed however the center of attention was on criminality theories and deviance. The crash is a drama which causes people to both cry and laugh. When laughing nonetheless, people must seek to understand the hidden sociological concepts and assumptions which make them cry or laugh.










References
Al Junaibi, B. (2016). Home Movies, The American Family in Contemporary Hollywood Cinema. Horizons In Humanities And Social Sciences: An International Refereed Journal, 1(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.19089/hhss.v1i2.27
CARROLL, N. (2010). Movies, the Moral Emotions, and Sympathy. Midwest Studies In Philosophy, 34(1), 1-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4975.2010.00197.x
Leslie-Toogood, A. (2012). Viewing a Hollywood movie through the lens of sport psychology. Psyccritiques, 57(22). http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0028572