There are several films that are surefire ways to stoke debate and discussion amongst cinephiles. One of those features is the controversial 2006 Best Picture Oscar winner, “Crash.” Despite receiving acclaim at the time, “Crash” has gone on to become analyzed quite a bit about the way it handles racism, sexual assault, and other touchy subjects. And in a new interview with Vulture, “Crash” actress Thandie Newton discusses some of those issues and what she thinks about the film more than a decade later.
For those that haven’t watched “Crash,” the film follows seemingly disparate stories of racism and bigotry through the POV of all sides of the issue. And in the case of Newton, she played a character that was sexually assaulted by a racist cop, portrayed by Matt Dillon. The scene of sexual assault is one of the most controversial in the film, and in the interview, she sheds more light on that scene and her thoughts on “Crash,” in general.
Regarding the assault scene, she goes into detail about how she wasn’t quite sure how it would be conveyed on screen, and that led her to “burst into tears” while in her trailer after filming. However, she doesn’t necessarily agree with people that the scene is somehow “dodgy” in the way that it was filmed and shown on screen. As for the overall finished product, she understands the criticisms, especially when it comes to the redemption arc for Dillon’s racist, rapist police officer.
“Yeah. That’s something even at the time I didn’t buy into,” she explained. “There was a moment I remember, being taken away from the car, and I had to turn around and look at him. I had a sense that that look was supposed to be a look of connection, like, ‘You saved me,’ but for me, the look to him was, ‘Oh, okay. It turns out I got saved by the worst person in the world.’ Like, ‘My trauma does not end here. That’s for sure.’ I didn’t feel that it was redemptive. Certainly, not from my character’s point of view. It’s complicated.”
When asked about the movie’s perceived “deep white liberalism,” Newton also agreed and said, “Even with Ludacris and Larenz Tate, when they’re annoyed about being treated as stereotypes, but then it turns out that they are carjackers. I feel like that was just for one joke. It was literally for that one joke, which is like, ‘Ooh! Wow! You’re going to put that label on these guys for one joke?’ The movie was clever and witty, but it basically stopped the judgment. It neutralized the very real rage that African-American people feel.”
Of course, the film would eventually go on to win three Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. But even to this day, those wins, as well as the acclaim the feature received, is still the subject of intense debate. And it appears that at least one of the actors can acknowledge some of the film’s major flaws.
You can watch the trailer for “Crash,” as well as the scene featuring Newton and Dillon below (obviously, fair warning that the scene is rough):