MovieChat Forums > Crash (2005) Discussion > Why did Ryan Philippe's character SPOILE...

Why did Ryan Philippe's character SPOILERS...

posted 2 years ago by TheMan18 (13055)
9 replies | jump to latest

... shoot that man in the car?

Also, why did he even get MAD at him in the first place? What did that man say that made Ryan Philippe's character so uptight and angry there? So perhaps his humour was a bit misplaced and whatnot, is that really a reason enough to throw him out of his car like that?

And couldn't that man also perhaps have retorted on the order of - "OK if I offended you in any way, I'm sorry, I'll be quiet and won't say another word, but could you please just drop me off at this one point and we will call it even, hey if you even want, maybe I can give you a little bit of cash or something?"

And why would he simply suspect that based on an argument and based on that man's stubbornness to not go for what is in his pockets, that the man would have a weapon of any kind on him and even, spoiler, shoot him? (I bet that man didn't even suspect that Ryan Philippe's character could be a cop!)

It just seemed rather rushed and unbelievable.

Because throughout the film, before that incident, he was generally seen as a nice and decent police officer, especially how he dealt with that producer etc.

But still... Provoked in an argument on one night in a car and then shoots the passenger dead.

[–] roxi1st (51) 2 years ago

We're supposed to see an officer who's new to the job. He's new and not racist. He checked the producer at the initial stop so he knew him. At the 2nd incident, even though the producer was verbally aggressive, he knew to defuse the situation especially because he knew him from the initial stop and he wanted to avoid a situation where his trigger eager colleagues wouldve shot him because he's black. But remember he's kinda new, based on what officer Ryan told him ("wait a couple more years and you'll see"). This scared him. He's also alone in a patrol car with a radio malfunctioning.
And the scene in question... he was alone, picking up a black man hitchiking at night as to prove to himself that he's not racist. But at some point he started to feel unsafe especially because the passenger started laughing with no reason. He interpreted the situation wrong and acted without thinking. That was an unintentional killing - manslaughter I think. He became a murderer when he torched his car to get rid of the evidence.

[–] TheMan18 (13055) 2 years ago

But then why would he interpret his laughter as a sign of menace?

[–] TheMan18 (13055) 2 years ago

I laugh in life nearly all the time for no reason and for the very MOST part, nobody even remotely interpreted it as any sign of menace here or there.

[–] TheMan18 (13055) 2 years ago

If I was in that black man's position, I probably would've apologized and even stated straight away what it is I am laughing about without going into my pockets if I am told seriously not to, and I suppose I would suspect Ryan Philippe's character of being a cop and all and maybe asked him politely "OK mate, I do apologize and I will be completely quiet, but could you please just drop me off at this point over here in say a few minutes and I will leave and we will call it even, thank you".

[–] roxi1st (51) a year ago

He was laughing but there was no joke. That's a sign something is off.

[–] TheMan18 (13055) a year ago

OK fair enough, could be the case. Maybe Ryan Philippe's character also had a bad and stressful day that time and felt he was being suspicious etc.

[–] TheMan18 (13055) a year ago

I laugh a lot of times when there is no actual joke but I never had people confront me with their weapons as a result of that, I even sometimes laughed when cops were there. But maybe its kinda different in that type of situation as well. The other guy who laughed probably got lost and didn't know what else to say or how to properly react and he probably didn't think he was some kind of off-duty cop who was potentially under stress of some sort for some or other reason.

[–] fc31 (5515) a year ago

Being police in US I think is a high risk job, due to the fact so many people have guns. Racist or not when they encounter a black person they are on high alert, a lot of black people got shot, but I think a lot of police got shot too.

So it is not a very good idea to behave strangely in front of police in US, especially if you are black.

[–] TheMan18 (13055) a year ago

Also, in order for this situation to have been avoided particularly with its very tragic outcome...

What should both the driver and passenger have done? Should the guy laughing have apologized and immediately confessed to having the same statue as him? Should Ryan Philippe's character have given him a second chance? Is laughing for no reason REALLY a suspicious, disrespectable and even an offensive thing to do?

Was either of the characters at one point in the right? Was Ryan Philippe WRONG to tell him like that to get out of the car, and only because he laughed out of nowhere like that? Was Anthony wrong not to apologize and get angrily defensive? Cheers.