Intro: This Night in L.A. Still Grips Audiences
Ever wonder why Tom Cruise, the hero of the Ethan Hunt saga, who goes across the globe saving the world 12 times, decided to play a cold-blooded hitman?
Or how Jamie Foxx turned this into an Oscar-nominating taxi driver role?
Beyond the breakdown of Collateral-the Cruise-starring thriller where Foxx took his acting game to another level, and Michael Mann\’s neon-soaked L.A. became a character itself.
Tom Cruise Took Zero Risks (And It Worked)
Cruise playing a villain? In 2004, that was like casting Santa Claus as a serial killer.
Against-type genius: Studios didn\’t doubt him as this gray-haired killer named Vincent. Because he really wanted it, Cruise fought for the role. He wanted to scare audiences.
Method-lite prep: He followed real hitmen (yes, it\’s true), so he could get Vincent\’s distinctive calm, calculating disposition right and wouldn\’t have to resort to any cheesy Bond villain tropes.
Physical changes: Gray hair, stubble, and the $3K suit. Vincent\’s look was \”shark-like, sleek, impersonal, deadly,\” said Cruise.
Fun fact: The original script described Vincent merely as a thug. Cruise argued for chillingly articulate. Wise move.
Jamie Foxx Breakthrough Moment (No, Not Ray)
He was still \”that guy from In Living Color\” until Collateral. Here\’s how he took it all away:
Taxi school: He drove a cab and actually picked up real passengers for two weeks. One rider yelled, \”Ain\’t you Jamie Foxx?!\” and he stayed in character.
That scene with the jazz club: Improvised. Foxx riffed on Miles Davis to prove his character\’s \”failed musician\” backstory. Mann kept rolling the cameras.
Oscar domino effect: The role led straight to Ray. Without Collateral, Foxx doesn\’t walk away with an Oscar.
Behind the Scene: Chaos, cameras, and coffee
Shooting Collateral was the best heist-a secret operation, quick and loud.
Guerrilla filming: Mann had with digital cameras shooting in real L.A. locations without permits. Cops showed up four times thinking crimes were happening.
The club scene massacre: 1,000 extras, 3 takes, and $200K blown on the sound system by gunfire effects. Cruise adlibbed the \”Yo homie\” line. Its now legendary.
Coffee cup continuity: Vincent\’s Starbucks cup changes 6 times during the taxi scenes. Fans are still debating whether it was a blooper or a metaphor.
Want more L.A. noir? How \’Heat\’ Changed the Crime Genre.
Why Precisely Is \’Collateral\’ a Thrilling Masterpiece (And Almost Sank It)?
This was a movie that should have failed: the A-list star as a villain, digitally filmed in 2004. But, however, it manages to remain timeless by:
The dialogue: What\’s that speech of Vincent\’s, \”6 billion people on the planet\”? Done in 10 minutes. One take from Cruise.
The ending: Test audiences loathed the dark original finale. The last-minute change by Mann just left a little opening for hope.
Legacy: Directors such as Christopher Nolan cite Collateral as an inspiration for handheld grittiness in The Dark Knight.
FAQs: What Fans Actually Ask
Q: Did Cruise and Foxx get along off-screen?
A: Like fire and ice. Foxx found Cruise \”intense\”; Cruise respected Foxx\’s hustle. No fistfights, though.
Q: Was that a real body on the trunk?
A: Yep. A 200-pound dummy. Did dent the car. Foxx\’s scream? Real adrenaline.
Q: Sequel rumors-true?
A: Mann played around with a prequel concept covering the backstory of Vincent. Never happened. Cruise said he would \”only come back if it\’s darker.\”
Final Take: Why This Movie Slaps in 2024.
Uh-huh, Collateral is a thriller and much more; it is an appropriate time capsule of post-9/11 anxieties, the emergence of digital filmmaking, and two stars flipping their scripts.
Cruise could terrify. Foxx could dominate. And Mann, L.A. at night, is by far the scariest character of them all.
TL;DR: Stream Collateral tonight. Watch for the Starbucks cup. Thank me later.
Hungry for more Cruise? Here is what makes Edge of Tomorrow his most underrated sci-fi.