Skip to content
MovieCove
Crash

Crash

Moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other.

2004112 minRMidcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Director
Paul Haggis
Starring
Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser, Matt Dillon

In post-Sept. 11 Los Angeles, tensions erupt when the lives of a Brentwood housewife, her district attorney husband, a Persian shopkeeper, two cops, a pair of carjackers and a Korean couple converge during a 36-hour period.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Crash?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Crash streaming on Howdy via Prime Video, Lionsgate+ via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free) and ViX via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Crash?

Crash earns 13 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Universally Loved.

Show 5 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Crash worth watching?

Crash's Midcredits score is the 88th percentile of all films, from 643K ratings across 6 sources. 82% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

88th percentile

Better received than 88% of films

90th percentile among Crime87th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)81st
Approval (how many liked it)92nd

71 /100

81st percentile of all films

86th percentile among Crime80th percentile among 2000s

Critics 66 · Audience 71

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

82% liked it

92nd percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Crime92nd percentile among 2000s
82% rated it 7–1018% rated it 1–6

Critics 73% · Audience 88%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

3 Oscars won · 3 Oscar noms · 35 wins / 61 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Film Editing
  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Motion Picture of the Year

98th percentile

643K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Crime96th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$6.5M
Opening weekend$9.1M
Domestic gross$55M
Worldwide gross$98M

Returned 15.1× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A film about racial tensions in LA that sparks strong reactions, though it's not subtle about its themes.

Fans praised

  • Interconnected storytelling mirrors Altman and PTA
  • Deftly realized characters defy stereotypes
  • Emotionally cathartic ending amidst moral complexity

Detractors panned

  • On-the-nose, didactic preachiness
  • Characters as one-dimensional archetypes
  • Melodramatic coincidences undercut impact

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

Ensemble praised for depth and authenticity

Atmosphere75

Gritty LA setting with pervasive tension

Emotional impactDivisive70

Catharsis and moral discomfort

Plot and storyDivisive65

Interweaving lives both intricate and contrived

DialogueDivisive65

Racism-heavy talk feels either penetrating or monotonous

CharactersDivisive60

Moral ambiguity vs. archetypes

OriginalityDivisive60

Thoughtful take on race vs. old-hat moralizing

PacingDivisive60

Rapid-fire editing either gripping or relentless

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 27 points higher than under-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Crash like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicBittersweet
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Hyperlink · 1% of films: Separate storylines that intersect by coincidence.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film plays its heavy subject matter straight, with earnest emotion and without irony.
The rideThe film maintains a consistent undercurrent of tension and melancholy, punctuated by moments of hope or despair, but never lets up on its emotional pressure.
StructureThe film weaves several storylines that intersect across a 36-hour period, bookended by the same car crash scene.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film stays with you as a meditation on prejudice and redemption, leaving both hope and unease.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThe film is an interconnected ensemble drama exploring race in Los Angeles; its structure does not follow a single plot archetype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPrejudiceSociety
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% (this title) · Prejudice 3% (this title) · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Prejudice · 3% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation · 5% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines how racial bias and preconceptions shape every interaction, while also showing moments of unexpected connection and the profound loneliness behind the city's surface.
StanceThe film questions prejudice by exposing its roots and consequences, refusing to offer simple condemnation or easy reconciliation.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalAmbientSupportive music · original score · Mark Isham
SettingLos Angeles of the early 2000s, a city of freeways, storefronts, and police precincts
MusicThe score blends melancholy strings and atmospheric textures, underlining the emotional weight without drawing attention to itself.

Content guide

Is Crash okay for kids?

R

Crash is rated R: “Rated R for language, sexual content and some violence” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at moderate (60/100), language at severe (88/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (41/100) and frightening material at intense (66/100). Overall it is heavier than 68% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 21 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15A
  • New ZealandR16
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • BGC
  • Czechia15
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Greece16
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway15
  • PortugalM/12
  • Russia16+
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 81% of all filmsHeavier than 68% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 74%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 88%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 52%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, violence, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Crash have?

MovieCove's classifier found 2 depicted content warnings in Crash: Sexual violence (moderate), plus 1 withheld here because it would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateSexual violence

Cast and crew

Who is in Crash?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; 8 award-winning performances in the cast.

Don Cheadle
as Graham
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sandra Bullock
as Jean
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Brendan Fraser
as Rick
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Matt Dillon
as Officer Ryan
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Jennifer Esposito
as Ria
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Michael Peña
as Daniel
newcomer then · star now
Terrence Howard
as Cameron
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Thandiwe Newton
as Christine
BAFTA win: BAFTA Award — Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Ludacris
as Anthony
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Larenz Tate
as Peter
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Crash?

Movies like Crash include Third Person (2013), Powder Blue (2009) and Short Cuts (1993). Of the 6 closest matches, most are films set in Los Angeles, and half are melodramas.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 6 share its story type: interlocking stories. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Crash?

3.6K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: melodrama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.