Crash Character Profile: Anthony One

Crash Character Profile: Anthony

One of the most deeply ironic scenes in the film Crash depicts two African-American characters eloquently dissecting and condemning the way African-Americans are portrayed as violent hooligans by the American media -- right before they carjack an SUV. The scene reveals these characters, especially the more vociferous of the two, named Anthony, as unconscious or conscious perpetrators of the stereotypes they condemn. Their victims, a white, liberal District Attorney and his wife are emotionally shell-shocked as a result of the attack and they realize that their own perceptions of themselves as racially tolerant are quite fragile. The DA, deep in a reelection campaign, is uncertain as to whether he will alienate the African-American vote if he reveals the incident, and his nervous wife verbally berates her Latina maid to vent her hidden anger at the world.

Anthony is shown to be victim of racist stereotypes as well as a perpetuator: his poverty and the lack of avenues he has to demonstrate his intelligence and eloquence are the result of a long history of American racism. The irony is that because of American racism, Anthony perpetuates racist ideals through his violent and illegal actions His actions result in entrenching the negative racial stereotypes held by the white individuals in the film. He can find no outlet for his wants, needs, and desires, other than those provided by negative images of his culture.

Anthony sees America as hypocritical, regarding race. It presents images of violent black young men, yet offers black men no positive ways to use their energies. True, Crash also shows a successful black TV director and police chief. Other roles in society exist but Anthony cannot see them. The film suggests that one reason that Anthony cannot envision other ways of making his living is because of how these alternative voices are muzzled. The TV director is told that his characters need to talk more 'black' even though he himself does not speak 'street.' Anthony, an actual resident of the street, sneers at white perceptions of how blacks talk in the media: "You think whites go around callin' each other honky all day?" While Anthony's theft of the SUV is clearly shown to be destructive, socially as well as morally, the film also shows how black inner city views of law and order have evolved in such a negative and polarized fashion: the presence of the black officer Detective Graham Waters is undercut by the racism and racial profiling of other members of the force.

Racism is circular in nature, and this is revealed in Anthony's lapses in logic: "That waitress sized us up in two seconds. We're black and black people don't tip. So she wasn't gonna waste her time. Now somebody like that? Nothing you can do to change their mind. You expect me to pay for that kind of service?" Anthony has been scarred by racism, and every time he actively (such as when he carjacks the DA's SUV) or passively (not tipping) lashes out against the world, he creates a more racist view of black young men in the minds of whites.