Les Jones

A&E > Roger Simon on "Crash"

Blogger and academy member Roger Simon voted for Crash for best picture, but found its portrayal of race in Los Angeles wanting.

But let me add my voice to Cathy's and Matt Welch's that I am offended by the film's (self-regarding and convenient) view of LA as a maelstrom of racism. Yes, sure, there are plenty of racists here like everywhere else on the planet, but actually, compared to most places I've visited (and since travel is my drug of choice, I've been to over 60 countries) LA is a virtual paragon of multi-culturalism. Compared to Paris, it's paradise. But screenwriters like Haggis persist in a Westside vision of their city that is essentially a fantasy built on their needs (to feel superior and good while being rich and famous). They should get out more. Koreatown is a lot more fun and interesting than Brentwood or Beverly Hills (and the food's better).

Haggis gives away his own LA-myopia in one telling detail of Crash. Much of the plot revolves around an Iranian family being mistaken for Arab because there are no Iranians hereabouts. Wrong way around, fella. This is Tehrangeles with the second greatest Iranian population on Earth (after the capital city of Iran). There are over a half million Persians in LA county. The Arab population is miniscule by comparison. But from Brentwood, I guess it's all the same.

See also:
- Giving the lie to five Oscar pics