the awesome/terrifying freedom

..which is what 'crash' should have been called. if you take the exact same structure as 'love, actually,' and instead made all the characters spew racist banter, you'd have this film. it's on the right track, but includes five too many ironic coincidences meant to teach each and every character a lesson in prejudice. in addition, it doesn't really seem to know what it's saying - that we're all a little bit racist, and that's ok? it's a fine thesis, but the film avoids diggin deep into it's issues by tacking pat, happy endings to each story. puke city. it has 'big, important film' written all over it. the performances are good, it's nicely shot. just another example of a writer who should not direct his own screenplays. it has merit, but fails to meet it's own ambitions.