I just watched this movie yesterday from Showtime. I had wanted to rent it but hey it was on TV!
I liked it and thought it very telling about human nature. You always think you know what you would do in certain situations until you are truly put to the test.
itsallgoodnow for me summed it up best and it's worth repeating:
To me, the theme of the movie is --- you don't know yourself as well as you think you do. Something could happen and you could react way differently than you thought you would. Racism is just what gets everything moving in that movie. It's not only about that.
spoiler alert - -
Matt Dillon's character probably never thought he would risk his life for a black woman. Don Cheadle's character probably never thought he would screw over another cop to help his deadbeat brother. Ryan Philipe's character probably never thought he would shoot somebody because he was acting suspiciously while being black. The Persian father probably never thought he would try to kill someone out of rage. Sandra Bullock's character probably never thought she would someday realize her maid was a better friend than any of her other friends. Ludacris's character wouldn't have expected to help asian immigrants and pass up an opportunity to make money at their expense. Terrence Howard's character probably never imagined he had it in him to stand up to thugs and cops.
I thought that aspect of the movie was the most interesting.