So-so "Crash"

Synopsis: interweaving storylines about various groups of people and how race and racism affect their lives over a period of one day. Saw the flick last night. Mixed feelings. For a Hollywood mainstream movie, it took chances--mainly because it is an ensemble piece with no clear-cut star. Successful ensemble pieces seem very hard to do. I loved "Short Cuts" and "Magnolia," but even those films--considered to be well-done--have a lot of detractors. The best storyline dealt with a black couple who have uncomfortably assimilated into the white world. The other storylines really felt heavy-handed and cliche (I felt myself rolling my eyes at some points). (Image via Movieweb.com)