Interpersonal Interactions in Film

Interpersonal Interactions in Film

I chose the film “Crash” directed by Paul Haggis, for this project. The scene I’ll be studying is a critical point in the film in which two characters, Officer Ryan (played by Matt Dillon) and Christine (played by Thandie Newton), meet in a very emotional and stressful exchange. Officer Ryan, a white police officer, pulls over Christine, a Black woman, and her husband in this scene. Officer Ryan uses his power to perform an invasive search of Christine, which worsens the situation (AlMouslie, 2023). The sequence is emotionally powerful, packed with rage and dread. It underlines the characters’ power dynamics and racial tensions, providing a thought-provoking analysis of interpersonal interactions in a diverse and complicated metropolitan milieu. “Crash” encapsulates the fundamental theme of interconnection and the intricacies of human interactions (Jackson, 2022). It powerfully depicts racial discrimination and power abuse in society, demonstrating how communication may intensify these difficulties. The scene’s emotional intensity serves as a harsh reminder of the real-world difficulties in confronting systematic racism, as well as the enormous influence that communication, both verbal and nonverbal, can have on interpersonal relationships in a diverse metropolitan context.

Analysis of the Verbal and Nonverbal Communication That Took Place between the Characters in the Scene

In the selected scene from “Crash,” Officer Ryan and Christine’s verbal and nonverbal Conversation is laced with tension and power relations. In this scene, verbal communication is defined by animosity and racial undertones. Officer Ryan asserts power over Christine by using his authority and his status, and his tone is condescending and disrespectful. He uses racist slurs and abusive words, demonstrating the importance of verbal communication in human interactions. On the other hand, Christine reacts with rage, terror, and defiance, asserting her rights and challenging Officer Ryan’s conduct through verbal communication.

Nonverbal communication is vital in conveying the characters’ feelings and heightening the drama in a scenario (Choi & Bull, 2023). Officer Ryan’s body language is hostile; he invades Christine’s personal space, using strong gestures, and adopts an intimidating posture. These nonverbal indicators highlight his abusive use of power and control. Christine, on the other hand, communicates her anxiety and vulnerability nonverbally. Her trembling hands and voice, as well as her facial expressions, convey her distress and impotence in the circumstance. As the characters’ physical proximity fluctuates throughout the Conversation, the scene emphasizes the significance of proxemics, a nonverbal communication concept. Officer Ryan’s intrusion into Christine’s personal space, particularly during the invasive search, represents a violation of her boundaries and an abuse of authority. Christine’s nonverbal cues, such as her attempts to distance herself and defensive postures, demonstrate her displeasure with this intrusion.

Furthermore, eye contact, an essential element of nonverbal communication, is also significant in this scene. Officer Ryan keeps constant eye contact with Christine, underlining his command and superiority. On the other hand, Christine avoids eye contact, which may reflect her anxiety and discomfort with the setting. Verbal and nonverbal communication highlights how communication profoundly impacts interpersonal relationships (Chapter 4: Nonverbal Communication 2016). The words they employ, their body language, and their utilization of personal space and eye contact effectively depict the power struggle, racial tension, and emotional upheaval. This complicated exchange strongly reflects how communication may be used to impose authority, instill fear, and reinforce racial stereotypes, providing light on the delicate dynamics of interpersonal relationships in a varied and tough metropolitan setting.

The outcome of the Conversation

The outcome of Officer Ryan and Christine’s chat in the selected scene from “Crash” is undoubtedly unpleasant. The interaction is loaded with racial tension, antagonism, and clear power abuse. Officer Ryan’s invasive search of Christine and his disparaging language and racially insensitive remarks create an atmosphere of dread, shame, and rage (Putra & Desnaranti, 2023). Christine’s rage and resistance are understandable, but her powerlessness in the face of an abusive authority figure is apparent. This poor conclusion reflects the film’s depiction of deep-seated racial prejudices and structural concerns.

It is difficult to imagine a satisfactory resolution in this highly charged situation without significant changes to the personalities and the systemic concerns they represent. However, a de-escalation, empathy, and respect for individual rights approach would be critical to improving the debate. Officer Ryan might have acted more professionally and respectfully, following correct search regulations without using demeaning words. Training in communication and cultural awareness for law enforcement officers could have also played an important role in preventing such bad situations. Self-assertion and understanding of her rights could have been empowering tools for Christine to fight the abuse of power, potentially leading to a more equitable outcome. Finally, the image serves as a sharp reminder of the importance of better communication, empathy, and understanding in tackling society’s deeply rooted issues of race and power.

Finally, the chosen scene from “Crash” provides a dramatic demonstration of the importance of communication in interpersonal interactions, especially in the setting of racial tensions and power dynamics. Officer Ryan and Christine’s conversation is definitely unpleasant, with verbal and behavioral indicators indicating aggression, fear, and abuse of authority. This picture is a sharp reminder of the difficulties in tackling racial stereotypes and structural concerns in the real world. While it is difficult to see a happy outcome in such a severely flawed scenario, it highlights the importance of increased communication, empathy, and structural reform in order to correct such circumstances and promote equitable and respectful interactions in society.

References

AlMouslie, R. (2023, March 24). The cinema of anxieties. edoc. https://edoc.hu-berlin.de/handle/18452/27768

Choi, H., & Bull, P. (2023). Orators’ Nonverbal Behavior in Generating Audience Responses: Speaker-Audience Interaction in South Korean Political Speeches. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 47(3), 403–431. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-023-00429-6

Jackson, M. (2022). A Beat Beyond: Selected Prose of Major Jackson.University of Michigan Press.

Putra, F. P., & Desnaranti, L. (2023). Crash : An Analysis of Anger. LITERATUS, 5(1), 166–177. https://doi.org/10.37010/lit.v5i1.1199

University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. (2016). Chapter 4: Nonverbal Communication. In Communication in the real world: An introduction to communication studies. essay.

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Films can hold up a mirror to us about ourselves and our relationships, but they can also demonstrate an exaggerated, stereotypical, simplistic, or dysfunctional view of our interactions. This Assignment provides you with an opportunity to apply what you are learning about interpersonal relationships as portrayed in a movie of your choosing. You will evaluate communication skills as you analyze the movie. Choose a movie that allows you to analyze significant interpersonal relationships.

Interpersonal Interactions in Film

Consider what the movie is about, who the characters are, and who holds the significant relationships. Analyze the verbal and nonverbal communication present in the major relationships of the movie. Choose a scene in which two characters from different cultural backgrounds (race, age group, nationality, etc.) interact with each other, and analyze the communication that takes place in that scene. Perhaps the two characters are having a deeply emotional conversation (anger, sadness, fear, etc.) that warrants your consideration. Apply lessons learned in this course, and from your own experience, to your analysis of the scene and interactions.

This week, you will start the analysis portion of your film of choice, focusing on the interpersonal interactions it portrays. You will also apply the knowledge you have gained on interpersonal communication to a relationship in the movie you chose.

Read the Communication Program Professional Writing Guidelines.
Choose a film that contains a significant interpersonal relationship and watch it, looking for a scene that has an extensive conversation between two people. This should be one scene, not multiple ones throughout the movie.
Read Chapter 3, Section 3 Functions in Language and Chapter 4 Nonverbal Communication in Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies.

Write a 2- to 3-page paper that includes the following:

A brief paragraph that describes the scene that you have chosen and the characters involved. This should give an overview of what took place in the scene.
An analysis of the verbal and nonverbal communication that took place between the characters in that scene. You should be looking at the different verbal communication concepts and nonverbal communication types you see taking place in the scene. You will want to write about these, pointing to the specific cues from the scene that are showing the concept or type of communication that you identified.
What was the outcome of the conversation? Was it positive or negative? Could anything have been done to make it better?

Resources
University of Minnesota. (n.d.-a). 3.3 functions of languageLinks to an external site.. In Communication in the real world: An introduction to communication studies. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/chapter/3-2-functions-of-language/
University of Minnesota. (n.d.-e). Chapter 4: Nonverbal communicationLinks to an external site.. In Communication in the real world: An introduction to communication studies. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/part/chapter-4-nonverbal-communication/
Vagianos, A. (2017). 1 in 3 women has been sexually harassed at work, according to surveyLinks to an external site.. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/19/1-in-3-women-sexually-harassed-work-cosmopolitan_n_6713814.html