On the surface, “Crash” is a fast-paced, suspenseful film tracking numerous individuals as their lives coincide. Looking below the surface, however, will unearth a heart-wrenching gem that captures both the vicious and loving aspects of humanity with hair-raising accuracy.

Set in L.A., the movie expertly weaves complex themes and plot lines around several car crashes. It jumps from the perspective of a privileged white woman to that of two African-American auto thieves to an Hispanic family’s battle with neighborhood gun violence. All these stories connect in various ways, and the viewers witness how one character’s fear, attitude change or split-second decision creates a domino effect on everyone else.

The cast includes Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser, Ryan Phillipe and Ludacris, among others. They make the film valuable by presenting the conflicts and emotions that are very believable.

“Crash” does not sugar-coat the tough issues of racism and violence. It reminds us that we are all interdependent, for better or worse. Relying on others often causes serious harm such as when a simple cultural misunderstanding triggers a trail of barbarism. “Crash,” however, provides a dim ray of hope that by giving each other a fair chance, we can avoid a few more traffic accidents.