"To Protect and To Serve" (verbal and dramatic irony)
“To Protect and To Serve” is the motto of the Los Angeles Police Department. Throughout the film, however, we fail to see how the police protect and serve the residents of Los Angeles. Instead, the authorities seem to incite aggression and spread bigotry. When Officer Ryan pulls over Cameron and Christine, we understand that he directly threatens the safety of these Los Angeles residents. As the story progresses, we find that both Hansen and Ryan serve merely their own respective well-being rather than the well-being of others.
Jean and Maria's friendship (dramatic irony)
Jean, the District Attorney’s wife, is aggravated with her Latina housekeeper, Maria, daily. She snaps at Maria for failing to put away the clean dishes that remain in the dishwasher, and she calls her friends to complain about Maria’s long visit to the grocery store. These behaviors indicate that Jean resents her housekeeper. However, when Jean falls down the stairs and is stranded awaiting assistance, it is Maria who comes to her rescue. Although Jean calls her husband and her friends, they are unavailable to come to her aid. Following this event, Jean recognizes that Maria is the “only true friend” she has.
Saint Christopher (situational irony)
Saint Christopher carried an unknown child, later revealed to be Christ, acros a dangerous river. Later recognized for this valiant action, Christopher was named the patron saint of travelers. Peter carries a Saint Christopher statuette with him wherever he goes in order to ensure his safety. When he first hijacks the Cabot SUV, Anthony and Peter get into an argument about Peter’s decision to place the statuette on the dashboard. Later, we discover that Officer Hansen also has a small model of Saint Christopher on his car’s dashboard. As Peter reaches into his pocket to show Hansen this coincidence, Peter is shot dead. In this instance, Saint Christopher (or at least, his statuette) has not protected Peter but led indirectly to his death. We learn to understand that Saint Christopher is unable to protect people against bigotry and hatred.
The pursuit of justice (situational and dramatic irony)
Many of the characters aim to pursue justice, but they do so in ways that the audience recognizes as unjust. For example, as a Persian man living in America, Farhad has been made to feel marginalized and discriminated against. He has learned that the systems which are supposedly in place to protect him do not bring him justice. Farhad seeks to take justice into his own hands, and he aims to avenge Daniel at gunpoint. When he finds that his gun is filled with blanks rather than bullets, Farhad is awakened to his foolishness. In the aftermath of his attempted attack, he is left to grapple with the concept of justice and reflect upon his perpetuation of unjust behavior.
