Crash
Short description
Crash takes place in Los Angeles over roughly a day and a half, following several strangers whose paths keep crossing: a district attorney and his wife, two carjackers, a pair of police detectives, a Persian shop owner, a Latino locksmith, a police recruit, and a Korean couple. Their encounters expose the racial, social and class fault lines running through the city, and the assumptions each person carries about the others.
Paul Haggis directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Bobby Moresco; Haggis also produced alongside Don Cheadle and Bob Yari. It was his second feature as director, arriving between Red Hot and In the Valley of Elah. The large ensemble cast includes Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito and Michael Peña. The film was released in 2005 and runs 112 minutes.
Made for about 7 million USD, it went on to earn close to 98 million USD worldwide, a strong return on its budget. On IMDb it holds 7.7/10 from around 461,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.2/10 from roughly 4,000 votes. A critics' rating of 7.4/10 across 239 reviews places it close to the audience scores, suggesting broad agreement rather than a sharp divide between reviewers and viewers.
What's left behind the scenes
- In order to stay within a not particularly large budget ($6 million), Paul Haggis provided his own house (in the film, the Cabot house) and car for filming.
- Kathleen York, who wrote the song "Into the Deep" for the film, played a cameo role: she portrayed a police officer reporting to Graham (Don Cheadle) about what happened in the film's opening scene.
- The role of the television director was offered to Forest Whitaker. However, the director declined to participate in the project in favor of his own – “First Daughter” (2004).
- The director's cut has a runtime of 115 minutes.
- Lions Gate Films acquired the distribution rights for $4 million at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger himself appeared in the film. However, not in his usual role as an actor, but as the Governor of California. His framed photograph hangs on the wall of Lieutenant Dixon's office.
- The screenplay for the film was written back in 2001.
- “Crash” was the first film since “Rocky” (1976) to win the “Oscar” for Best Picture, ultimately receiving a total of three “Oscars” (typically such films win four or more).
- Sandra Bullock was so eager to participate in the filming of this movie that she bought a plane ticket at her own expense and went to the set.
- John Cusack was initially considered for the role of Rick (Brendan Fraser).
- Michelle Rodriguez was considered for the role of Christine Thayer, which was later played by Thandie Newton.
- Approximately 130,000 copies of the film were sent to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), various guilds, and film critics.
- “Crash” was the first film to win an “Oscar” after its rights were purchased at a film festival.
- Filming took place from December 8, 2003, to January 31, 2004.
- “Crash” was the first film in history, shot wholly or in part in Los Angeles, to subsequently receive an “Oscar” for Best Picture.
- The role of Hansen (Ryan Phillippe) could have gone to Heath Ledger.
- Director Paul Haggis himself was once a victim of car thieves. This circumstance played a significant role in the creation of the film.
- The words and music to the mocking, racist song “Gonna Buy Me A Rope,” sung by one of the Black hijackers in the stolen Lincoln, were written by the film's director, Paul Haggis.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
