Review of Collateral (2004) by Dylan D — 09 Sep 2013

Not exactly an "exciting" movie but one that's certainly hard-hitting, thoughtful, wonderfully constructed, splendidly acted, and boasting a strong sense of realism, Collateral proves a high quality entry into the Michael Mann canon and one of the better films in Actor Tom Cruise's long career.

For Jamie Foxx, it's another in a growing string of exceptional performances by an actor that doesn't seem to get quite the recognition he deserves but can always be counted on for a first-class performance no matter what the part calls for.

Collateral is ultimately an anti-buddy movie that juxtaposes thought processes, ways of life, and moral compasses, but also suggests that man is capable of turning to the opposite end of the spectrum when need be, whether that means getting ugly when the going gets tough or buying flowers for a sickly woman in the hospital.

Mann captures this dichotomy superbly and blends it into both the cramped interior of a taxi and the vast world of Los Angeles where, Vincent so simply states, "nobody notices" anything that's happening around them, good, bad, or otherwise.