Stereotypes In The Movie Crash

America’s roots stem from the diverse ethnicities that have blended together as one nation. While this is a bold statement that infers that our country stands together as one, the film Crash emphasizes on the negative judgments and racial slurs that occur daily throughout the nation. The previous paper written on cross-cultural principles in film emphasized on ethnocentrism, individualism, power distance, and integrated acculturation. While this film has elements that pertain to these ideas, discrimination, prejudice, stereotypes, and power distance are seen throughout numerous scenes. Crash displays the lives of multiple family and friend units and focuses on the downfalls and obstacles of each group. The audience is capable of understanding cross-cultural principles when taking a deeper look into the lives of each. Rick and Jean Cabot are viewed as upper-class individuals that are in a place of power in the community. While they are seen as respectable

While all these relationships in Crash are either victims of stereotyping or directly stereotyping individuals, the first scene in the film is the most apparent example of stereotyping. Stereotyping can be defined as a widely fixed assumption made by individuals regarding to a specific person or thing. The film begins with a car accident that occurred between a Spanish woman and an Asian woman. The cops arrive and the women instantly begin to argue, with many microassaults. Directly quoted from the film, the Asian woman proclaims, “Mexicans no know how to drive, she brake too fast”. Proceeding this, the Spanish woman insults the Asian woman because her English is not up to her standards. After insulting her ability to speak English, the Spanish woman proceeds to stereotype the Asian woman by her height and ability to drive. Finally, the Asian woman threatens to call immigration on the Spanish woman; assuming she is not a legal