Psychological Analysis of the Movie Crach

The movie Crash, written and directed by Paul Haggins, shows many forms of diversity, stereotyping and racism. Each race is represented throughout the movie and blatantly displays racial discrimination and ethnocentrism.

Officer Ryan and Officer Hanson are two characters that stood out in particular. Throughout the movie Hanson is portrayed as the “good” white, male, police Officer and Ryan is portrayed as the “bad” white, male, police Officer. During the movie Officer Hanson, is striving to steer clear of being racist and discriminating. For example, in one scene both Officer Hanson and Officer Ryan pull over a black couple. During the investigation, Officer Ryan is intimidating the couple and they aren’t sure how to handle the situation. He searches the couple for weapons and at this time the black female, Christine, is conspicuously molested. Throughout this ordeal, neither Officer Hanson nor the woman’s own husband stood up to Officer Ryan to protect her. By using his position of authority to fulfill his own racist agenda, the officer instills a sense of powerlessness into both the husband and wife.

Now fast forward to the same bigoted police officer and the same African American woman, Christine. We see a car crash; inside an overturned car is Christine. The first responding officer to this accident is Officer Ryan, the same man who took advantage of this woman some time earlier. However now the audience sees a change in both Characters. Christine is no longer the mouthy assertive woman she was when she was pulled over that night. She is terrified, her life is in jeopardy, and the only person who can possibly save her is the one man she despises the most. At first, she understandably refuses his help, but when she realizes that her situation is growing increasingly dangerous she has no choice but to accept his aid. What follows is a powerful and moving scene. The officer asks permission to unbuckle her seatbelt which means that the two would have to make close contact. He is no longer the man we know from the previous scene, he is not looking at this woman as black but as a victim whom he needs to save. Even further fueling his drive to help her, as the situation becomes dangerous for himself too is the memory of what he had done to her. He puts his life on the line for this woman, and with only seconds until the car explodes and kills them both, he frees this woman, whose life he has turned upside down, and saves both their lives.

Having been made uncomfortable over the incident between Officer Ryan and Christine, the seemingly more liberal and understand Officer Hanson changes his partner. At this point, Officer Hanson seems compassionate and insecure, and through changing his partner he in a way redeems himself for staying silent during the incident. After hearing of his former partner’s move, Officer Ryan says to him “ Just wait until you’ve been on the job a little longer. You think you know who you are? You have no idea.” What this statement means is that the more Officer Hanson is exposed to, the more hardened he will become. Of course this line foreshadows the harrowing events to come. Both Officers are faced with more difficulties and hardships, each dealing with or stemming from some sort of racism and discrimination. In another scene, we are again confronted with two familiar characters. This time it is Officer Hanson and Christine’s husband, who is thoroughly disturbed by the incident wwith Ryan. In this scene, the husband is confronted by a carjackers who he consequently kidnaps and takes on a high speed chase. The chase ends when the man is confronted by police officers, two of whom are Officer Hanson and his new partner. At this point, the man is armed and mentally unstable, and the situation seems as though it could turn in to a tragedy in seconds. Officer Hanson reinforces the notion that he is a “good guy” by deeming the man a friend to his colleagues

until he is able to talk him back into the car. The man drives away with a new confidence, a diminished fear of white authorities, and a new sense of self.

Later, the audience sees Officer Hanson again. This time, he is off duty and spots an African American male in need of a ride. Like the nice guy the audience has come to know and love, Officer Hanson picks the man up and takes him in to his car. They drive and make small talk but Officer Hanson seems to be growing increasingly alarmed. He visibly tenses up and suddenly seems uncomfortable with his passenger, who has not