Subtle is defined as “fine or delicate in meaning or intent.” Subtlely in film is a lovely experience, whether it’s a subtle, understated performance by an actor, a delicate underlying theme that permeates and intertwines with the main theme, or a directorial style that bears the mark of a director who knows how to make his point without hitting you over the head over and over again with obvious scenes, “tricks”, verbage and so forth. A pervasive subtlely in film also allows a more not so subtle moment to be so entertaining, poignant, amazing, that moment sticks with you forever perfumed with that subtle theme, performance or directorial style that also leaves an impression in your mind.

This movie overall is exceptional. But there was one scene in particular that is beautifully directed and acted and really stands out. Michael Pena gives an exceptional performance as a locksmith and father of a daughter afraid of haphazard bullets flying into her window. She has cause to be scared since a bullet found its way into their home when she and her parents lived in a more dangerous neighborhood.

Daniel, Pena’s character, has the look of a street thug, tattoos, shaved head and the less removable characteristic, looking (and being) Hispanic. Though he is not what he appears to be inside, the rest of the world reacts to what he seems outside. In one scene, after Sandra Bullock’s character is carjacked by two black men, she demands that her husband fire Daniel who is replacing the locks of their house because she asssumes he’ll sell the key to his thug friends so they rob them later.

In another scene, we see Daniel trying, lovingly, to coax his daughter out from under her bed where she’s hiding afraid of flying bullets. She’s afraid something bad will happen to her father. But he assures her that nothing will happen to him since she is there to protect him.

Sounds hokey, but the scene was suprisingly endearing and not too heavy handed, which it could have been in the hands of lesser actors and a mediocre director.

One of the most moving and convincing scenes in Crash takes place outside of Daniel’s home. The day before, Daniel tried to fix the door of a convenient store owed by an angry Middle Eastern man, Farhad, who is constantly harassed as a terrorist post-911. Daniel was unable to fix the lock because the door needed to be fixed first. Farhad assumes that Daniel, being Hispanic, was trying to pull one over on him and they get into an argument. The next day, Farhad’s convenience store is vandalized and robbed and he assumes Daniel was responsible. So, Farhad takes his gun from under the register and goes to Daniel’s home. Daniel is just coming home from work, Farhad approaches him, demands Daniel repay him for the damage done, and points the gun at Daniel. Daniel tries to calm Farhad down telling he had nothing to do with the robbery. Meanwhile Daniel’s daughter comes out of the house, runs to her father, her father picks her up and just then Farhad shoots the gun.

In the picture above you see Daniel’s reaction after he believes his daughter is shot. I’m not one for scenes with children, ’cause usually they’re hokey. But this was well and so moving I sat upright convinced and in shock.

All the elements unraveled just right, and lead up to this scene to make it believable. If Farhad had listened to Daniel and fixed the door his business would not have been broken into. Daniel’s worst fear had come true of his daughter. And, namely, if Farhad’s daughter had not bought blanks instead of real bullets, Farhad and Daniel’s life would have changed for the worst. Surprise, surprise…

Moments later, Daniel’s daughter whispers to Daniel that she was there to protect him as she promised. Daniel and his daughter go into their home, while Farhad remains shocked and relieved that he didn’t do what he thought he had done.