Collateral

"Collateral" is one of my top five favorite movies of the summer. Not only is it a tight action thriller, but stars Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx keep you on the edge of your seat while also making you laugh once in a while.

Foxx plays Max, a Los Angeles cab driver that dreams of one day owning his own limo company. His otherwise meandering life hits a bump when Vincent (Cruise) gets in his cab and offers Max $600 to be his personal driver for the night. After some coaxing, Max agrees. Little does he know what he has gotten himself into. Turns out Vincent is a hired assassin, out to knock off five witnesses in a drug trial.

Cruise is excellent as the bad guy, going from putting bullets in his victims to buying flowers for Max's mom all in the same scene. He pulls it off in such a way that you don't even think of Vincent as a "bad guy". Vincent is just doing his job. Foxx's Max holds his own against Cruise, beginning as the quiet and reserved dreamer, ending as the quick-thinking hero.

Director Michael Mann keeps the story moving along, with each scene serving not only as a new chapter, but also providing more insight into the main characters. A great soundtrack coupled with beautiful cinematography make "Collateral" an even more enriching experience. While I wasn't completely satisfied with the way the story ends, the overall experience was definitely worth it. I give it an A.

"Collateral" is rated R with a running time of 2 hours.