Look-of-the-Day

This “Look-of-the-Day” is from the surprise 2005 Best Picture winner, Crash.  It’s a sublime film, and this is one of its many difficult scenes to watch.  Thandie Newton plays Christine Thayer, the wife of a successful Hollywood director (Terrence Howard).  The couple is pulled over (for their race, more than any other reason), while driving home after a party in LA.  Christine gets sexually assaulted by the arresting officer, while her intimidated husband looks on helplessly.  The white cocktail dress she has on is very sophisticated, with a draped collar, but it also has a hint of sexiness with low-cut side panels.  She looks picture perfect as a tasteful upper-class woman, but unfortunately, she doesn’t feel that way.  This is a great example of an outfit being able to tell a story: before Thayer is groped, she looks stunning and sure of herself, but here, she resembles a lost child with covered, hunched shoulders who has been scared, betrayed and hurt.