What kind of film is Crash?
Very often now, you may see American films (usually independent productions) that involve a big number of characters (from 4-10) and each of them have their own plotlines. Somehow as their stories unfold, you will realize that they are related to each other in some ways. We call this kind of film an ensemble film. Ensemble films are very different from other commercial Hollywood films, with only 2-3 characters whose goals and motivations are very clear in the plot and the whole film narrative revolves around them. I found a very good explanation on the structure of ensemble film online: Ensemble films are essentially subplots, which have to be connected without the benefit of a main plot to hold them together. These “mini-plots” have their own individual protagonists, conflicts and resolutions, but are not strong enough to carry the momentum of an entire film; they are simpler story lines, though not necessarily less dramatic. Separately, these mini-plots don¹t need as much development
