Everyone shines

Rating: 10/10 (9 August 2004)

Based on early reviews and previews I fully expected Jamie Foxx to steal the show. My expectations for Tom Cruise were considerably lower; after numerous mediocre performances and only a few good ones, (Interview with the Vampire and Jerry Maguire) , the only excuse I could make for Cruise is that he is such a big star you can never see the character he is playing. But in Collateral he literally pops off the screen I have never seen him act with such force and presence. Undoubtedly Cruise was aided by Foxx taking his abilities to another level, already known for his comic wit and gift for mimicry, Foxx shows he can be subtle unassuming and pitiable. Their performances were enhanced and enabled by Michael Mann's masterful direction his use of angles and different filters give this picture a raw reality, Mann shows us the unglamorous side of LA and he shows us humanity at its most vital and vulnerable.