Crash Summary

(Day 1)

Film opens with Graham Waters and Ria in a car accident. They have been rear ended by Kim Lee. Lee throws racially motivated words at Ria about Mexicans not being able to drive and Ria retaliates by insulting Lee’s accent and saying Asians cannot drive.

Graham walks across the street to an already existing crime scene (murder) while Ria continues to argue with Kim Lee. Graham is seen observing a Puma sneaker at the crime scene.

Flashback to “Yesterday”

Farhad and his daughter Dorri are buying a gun. The storeowner hurls ethnic slurs at Farhad for not speaking English. Farhad leaves but Dorri stays. The storeowner makes sexually suggestive comments towards Dorri but gives her the gun anyway. She asks for the red box ammunition before storming out of the store.

Anthony and Peter leave a restaurant. Anthony is complaining about the treatment he received in the restaurant. Anthony tries to educate Peter on the blatant racism that African-Americans face everyday.

Rick and Jean walk near Anthony and Peter and Jean puts her arm in Rick’s as they are walking. Anthony sees this as “blind fear” just because the two men are black. Anthony and Peter then proceed to carjack Rick and Jean’s black Lincoln Navigator.

Graham and Ria arrive at a crime scene outside of a convenience store. An off duty undercover cop (Detective Conklin) in his pickup truck had cut in front of a Mercedes that was being driven by Detective Lewis. Lewis fires at Conklin and Conklin returns fire, killing Lewis (Conklin called it “self-defense”). It turns out the Mercedes does not belong to Lewis.

Daniel, a Latino man who works as a locksmith, is changing the locks at Rick and Jean’s house. Rick is the LA District Attorney and he fears what the press will say if they find out he was carjacked by two African-American men (he doesn’t want to lose votes over the fallout of the incident). Jean tells Rick that she wants the locks changed again in the morning because the “Latino gang member with the prison tattoos” will sell their keys to his “gangbanger friends” and they will be robbed. She proceeds to make more racially motived statements about the two black men who carjacked them. Daniel drops both sets of keys on the counter next to Jean. Jean realizes he has overheard everything she has said.

Camera cuts across two Asian men making a deal at a diner and moves on to Officer Ryan who is on the phone with Shaniqua Johnson, the supervisor of health insurance claims. Officer Ryan is struggling with his father’s health problems and takes it out on Shaniqua, insulting her racially based on her name in the process. She hangs up on him and he storms out of the diner.

Officer Ryan and his partner Officer Tommy Hanson (a rookie) receive an update over the police radio that there has been a carjacking of a black Lincoln Navigator (Rick & Jean’s). Officer Ryan sees a black Navigator driven by a black man drive past. Officer Hanson informs him that the plates don’t match but Officer Ryan proceeds to pull the Navigator over since he sees what looks like a white woman performing a sexual act on the driver.

The driver and passenger of the Navigator are Cameron (African-American TV producer) and his wife Christine. In the process of questioning Cameron, Christine becomes upset. Christine is then sexually molested by Officer Ryan in front of Cameron, who says nothing in exchange for being let go without a ticket. Officer Hanson witnesses the events but says nothing.

Cameron and Christine are arguing at home and both accuse each other of not really knowing what is like “to be black” since they both grew up extremely privileged in a “white society”. Christine wants to report the sexual molestation but Cameron states that no one will believe her (a black woman’s story against a veteran white LAPD cop) so she hangs up the phone in anger.

Daniel arrives at his apartment late at night. His daughter (Lara) is hiding underneath her bed. The family had recently moved because a bullet had gone through Lara’s window at their previous apartment, nearly hitting her. She was scared since she heard a “bang noise” similar to the sound of the gunshot. Daniel gives Lara his “invisible cape” that he says is impenetrable. This will protect her from bullets as long as she always keeps it on. Daniel tucks Lara into bed and as he closes the door as he gets a page for another job.

Day 2

Anthony continues to educate Peter on racism, now through music while driving the stolen Lincoln Navigator. Neither of them are paying attention since they are arguing over the racism in music genres and Anthony hits a man who was getting into a white van parked on the side of the road. Peter states that they ran over a “Chinaman” (it turns out to be Choi).

Officer Hanson is requesting a new partner to Lieutenant Dixon stating that Officer Ryan is a racist. Dixon suggests that Officer Hanson state that he (Hanson) has an embarrassing “personal issue” (flatulence) and he needs a one-man car instead of pursuing the idea that Ryan is racist.

Anthony and Peter drop Choi off in front of the ER and drive away.

Daniel is at Farhad’s store trying to fix the broken lock on the door. Daniel states that he replaced the lock on the door but the real problem is that the door needs to be fixed. Farhad doesn’t seem to understand what Daniel is telling him and calls Daniel a cheater. Farhad and Daniel get in a verbal argument. Farhad believes Daniel is trying to scam him so Daniel throws out the receipt and leaves the shop.

Anthony and Peter try to cover up the hit-and-run in a repair shop. The shop owner refuses to fix the car since it was used in a crime and he doesn’t want to be involved.

Graham’s mother calls looking for Graham’s younger brother who is missing. Ria and Graham, who are having a romantic relationship, exchange racial statements after Graham refers to her as Mexican to his mother. Ria storms out.

Officer Ryan’s father is struggling with his health issues. Ryan can see the pain his father is in and is visibly upset.

Farhad comes to the store the next morning to find his shop has been broken into and vandalized with racial slurs.

Rick is trying to figure out why Conklin shot Lewis. Graham is revealed to be continuing to working on Lewis’ case.

Anthony continues to educate Peter about racial issues and life.

Jean yells at Maria (her maid/nanny) for leaving the dishes in the dishwasher.

Fred (Cameron’s coworker) tells Cameron they have to reshoot a scene because the actor doesn’t sound “black enough”. Cameron reluctantly agrees.

Officer Ryan goes to Shaniqua’s office. She suggests that if he doesn’t like his in-network doctor then he should go out of network but they won’t cover all the costs – he does not like this. He states that there are more “qualified white men” for the job and she was just “helped” into her position. He then reveals that his father lost his job to minorities and is now forced to live a poor life because of “them” (minorities).

Farhad is on the phone with the lock company Daniel works for. He wants to know Daniel’s name but the woman refuses to give it to him. Dorri arrives and discovers that the gun has not been stolen as she feared.

Graham is visiting his mother who has relapsed due to her drug addiction. She asks if he has found his brother – he says no (he hasn’t even started looking yet). She wants him to come home and Graham sees that she is struggling in poverty. Graham hides his mother’s addiction and poverty from his partner Ria.

Cameron and Christine talk about the previous night’s event. She states that his dignity was taken away and he walks away from her. She leaves quickly, crying.

The insurance company informs Farhad that they won’t cover the damage since he was informed that the problem was with the door and not the replaced lock. They say it is Farhad’s fault. He says that the store is all he has.

Officer Hanson informs Officer Ryan that he has been reassigned. Ryan says that if Hanson had a few more years on the force he would be more like Ryan.

Ria and Graham find $300,000 dollars cash hidden in the trunk of the Mercedes Detective Lewis was driving when he was killed.

Farhad goes through the trash looking for the receipt from the lock company. At the bottom he find’s Daniel Ruiz’s name.

Officer Ryan arrives at the scene of an unknown car crash. One car is leaking gasoline and the other car down the hill is on fire. The driver of the car turns out to be Christine and both her and Officer Ryan recognize one another. She screams at him not to touch her and calls for anyone else to help her. He refuses to leave since he is the only one there to save her. Christine is stuck in the car and Officer Ryan can’t release her seat belt. As he is cutting the seatbelt the trail of gasoline reaches the other car and catches on fire. Christine’s car is quickly engulfed in flames with her and Officer Ryan still inside. Fellow officers have now arrived and pull Ryan out of the car but he reaches back into the burning car to save Christine. With the help of the other officers, Ryan and Christine barely escape the burning car, which moments later, explodes. Christine is taken away by EMS while Ryan remains, frozen, at the scene.

Graham is called to the DA’s office about Lewis’ case. Graham informs Rick’s assistant, Flanagan, that he found $300,000 dollars in the Mercedes driven by Lewis. Graham is inclined to blame Lewis but the DA’s office wants Conklin to take the blame (it would benefit the DA politically if they named Lewis a hero and blame Conklin). Graham refuses to say Lewis is innocent so Flanagan blackmails Graham by showing him a warrant for his brother’s arrest, which will put his brother in jail for life. If Graham tells the DA (Rick) that Conklin is guilty, then Flanagan will make his brother’s warrant go away. Graham gives the okay for Rick to blame Conklin for the shooting.

Day 3

Farhad finds Daniel’s residence and is waiting outside with a loaded gun.

Anthony and Peter attempt to steal another Lincoln Navigator, which turns out to be Cameron’s. Even with a gun pointing in his face, Cameron gets out of the car and confronts Anthony and they get into a fistfight. Peter begins to drive the Navigator away but stops to help Anthony. He points the gun a Cameron but Cameron keeps hitting Anthony leading to Peter joining in the fight. Both Anthony and Cameron get in the Navigator and drive off still arguing. Peter is seen running away on foot. A police car, driven by Officer Hanson, sees the fight and the Navigator driving away and pursues. Officer Hanson recognizes Cameron and lets him go with a warning, not realizing Anthony is still in the car. Cameron drops Anthony off at a bus station and drives away.

Daniel arrives home and Farhad demands Daniel give him the money for the store. Lara comes to the door to greet him, but he shouts at her to stay inside. Lara calls to her mom that “Daddy doesn’t have it” referring to the impenetrable cloak that will protect him from the bullets. Lara runs to Daniel and jumps into his arms just as Farhad pulls the trigger.

Jean is talking to her friend on the phone and acknowledges that she is angry every single day but she doesn’t know why. After hanging up the phone, Jean slips and falls down the stairs and is seen lying helpless at the bottom.

Officer Hanson is driving his car home after work and picks up Peter (who needs a ride) on the side of the road. Hanson notices the mud on Peter’s Puma sneakers and something in his pocket that catches his attention. Peter tries to bond with Hanson over their mutual love of country music and starts laughing when he see the same exact St. Michael statue he owns on Hanson’s dash. Hanson doesn’t like or understand why Peter is laughing and pulls over to let Peter out. The mood gets tense between them and Peter says he’ll show him what is so funny as he reaches into his pocket. Officer Hanson reaches for his gun and shoots Peter. It is revealed that Peter was just showing him his own St. Michael statue. Officer Hanson pushes Peter out of the car.

The scene flashes to the opening scene of the film where Graham is investigating a murder on the side of the road. The victim is Peter.

While going home on the bus Anthony sees the place where he hit Choi and Choi’s van still parked on the side of the road and the keys in the door.

Choi’s wife, Kim Lee, finally finds her husband in the hospital after the hit-and-run accident. He tells her to take a check out of his wallet and cash it quickly. She leaves immediately.

Anthony brings the white van to the car repair shop trying to sell it. Unbeknownst to Anthony there are a number of Thai or Cambodian people chained in the back. The shop owner offers to buy both the van and the people since he can make a profit selling both.

Ria is seen waiting with Graham and Graham’s mother at the coroners. Graham’s mother identifies the body and breaks down crying. It is her missing son, Peter, who is also Graham’s brother. Dorri is the medical technician at the coroner’s office. Graham’s mother blames Graham for not looking for him like she asked. She said he was “too busy” and believed he was too good for the family anymore.

Dorri comes to her father’s shop and finds him sitting on the floor holding the gun. She asked him what he did and he stated that he shot a little girl but she was okay; he called the girl his angel because she was there to protect him. He gives the gun to Dorri and seems at peace. It is shown that the red box of bullets Dorri got for the gun were really blanks although she does not tell her father.

Rick and Jean talk on the phone. Jean tells Rick that she fell down the stairs and when she tried to call people for help, including him, no one would answer. When she did reach her friend Carol, Carol wouldn't give up her massage to help Jean. Only Maria drove Jean to the emergency room. Jean gives Maria a hug and tells her that she is the best friend that she has.

Officer Hanson burns his car to hide the evidence of shooting of Peter.

Officer Ryan is seen comforting his father who is struggling in pain and crying.

Daniel is watching over Lara and his wife as they are sleeping.

Cameron is driving home as it begins to snow. He stops and gets out of his car. He sees some people building a bonfire using Officer Hanson still burning and now abandoned car. Christine calls him and he tells her he loves her.

Graham is seen standing at the scene of his brother, Peter’s, murder. He finds the St. Michaels’s statue in the dirt.

Anthony arrives in an Asian section of LA with the white van. He opens up the back of the van, releases all the prisoners, and gives them $40 dollars for food. He drives off in the

Shaniqua is rear-ended by a stranger. She starts yelling at them to not talk to her unless they “speak American”. The arguing continues, as more people get involved.