Vincent, The Professional, spends one night in Los Angeles.

Rating: Null/10 (23 January 2005)

"Collateral" has some parallels to the Besson movie, "Leon, The Professional." In each the "professional" has a job to do, is highly capable, and never hesitates. Here Tom Cruise plays "Vincent" who is in Los Angeles for one night of work. He needs a way around town, so Max (Jamie Fox) happens to be driving the cab that picks up Vincent. Moderately interesting movie, a different role for Cruise.
SPOILERS FOLLOW, the movie cannot be described without doing so. Vincent has been hired to snuff out four witnesses, plus the prosecutor, for a drug related trial about to begin. He simply tells Max that he has four "clients" to visit, and hires the cab for the evening. At the first stop, second floor, the shot man flies out the window and onto the roof of the waiting cab. When Max finds out what is really going on, he freaks out, doesn't want any part of it, but Vincent won't let him out. Based on police conversation of a similar spree in another city, the cab driver was the last to be killed.
In what at first seems to be a soft spot in Vincent, he goes with Max to the hospital to visit Max's sweet, elderly mom, even buying her flowers. However, later that night Vincent warns Max, perform as requested or Vincent would put a bullet between mom's eyes.
Prosecutor "Annie" (Jada Pinkett Smith ) was to be the final victim, someone Max had met earlier that evening when he gave her a ride to a downtown office. When Max figured that out, he warned her via cell phone after the big cab crash, and was able to save her. It was Vincent's last night in Los Angeles, he didn't have the chance to leave.
Mark Ruffalo and Peter Berg were capable as detectives.