I am in an argument with my screenwriting teacher right now and she has made a claim that in every story there is, and can only be, one main character. (To her, Juliet was just a puppet to Romeo’s ambition) The problem is, that too many characters = too many problems = confuses audience = BAD STORY. But in the case the movie Crash there are 8+ main characters, and the story was good enough to garner Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing in the 2005 Oscars. So I know it’s not bad. Do you think there is a main character in Crash? Who is it? Does this movie prove the rule wrong?
First of all, you’re 100% correct ! I was given a B in college due to the fact that I wanted to end my original play in an anticlimax. Of course, my college professor was totally against this idea as he was " stuck on stupid", but I stood my grounds with the courage of my artistic convictions and received my B instead of " A + " that I rightfully deserved.
That said, you can easily make the argument that Don Cheadle is the main character, however I am bias towards both Don Cheadle and Matt Dillon.
Ultimately, I would have to say it’s a definite tie between the 2 great actors, however if I had to only choose one—I’ll go with Matt Dillon for having more of a character arc as he gradually attempts to rise above his racial prejudices. Lastly , the movie works on a whole multiplicity of layers, so it rightfully deserved the Best Picture Oscar over BrokeBack Mountain.