From his early days as part of the comedic ensemble of Fox’sIn Living Colorto his morerecent health challenges,Jamie Foxxhas been known to defy expectations. His talent for being flamboyant, while charming, allowed Foxx to hold his own opposite legends such asAl Pacino,Tommy Lee Jones, andEddie Murphy. When the comedian was cast opposite cinematic iconTom CruiseinMichael Mann’sCollateralin 2004, he delivered an understated performance that transitioned him to Oscar-caliber status.
Collateralcame at a pivotal time inFoxx’s career. After spending much of the ‘90s building his fanbase through his stand-up specials and popular sitcoms, Foxx showed promise with his dramatic turns as the self-centered quarterback inOliver Stone’sAny Given Sundayand asMuhammad Ali’s charismatic cornerman Drew Bundini Brown in Mann’sAli. InCollateral, however, Foxx would step out of his comfort zone to become an insecuretaxi driveragainst Cruise’s cold-hearted hitman.
Who Does Jamie Foxx Play in ‘Collateral’?
Foxx’s Max Durocher is nothing like the star’s past roles where he relied on quick quips and a winning smile. He is a meekLos Angelescab driver caught ina nightmare scenarioinvolving Cruise’s Vincent as his latest fare, making five designated stops to assassinate his planned targets.The cycle of violence while being a reluctant accomplice in Vincent’s mission puts the panic-stricken Max over the edgeto the extent of having to overcome his lifelong fears.
Though Cruise’s rare career turn as a menacing villain wasCollateral’s primary highlight, Foxx’s portrayal of cabbie Max had far more fascinating layers that added tothe narrative’s themes about power and control. Much like the dreamers of L.A. who aspire for greater life achievements, Max is a lonely man full of unrealized dreams. Among those dreams is for Max to be the business owner of a limousine service which his ailing mother (Irma P. Hall) believes he already has. Max’s low-key existence day by day as a cabbie might earn him a dollar at a time to make his dream a reality. But his lack of courage to take the larger steps necessary holds him back.
The same can be said for Max’s interest in his earlier fare: Federal prosecutor Annie Farrell (Jada Pinkett Smith),whose friendly conversation with the cabbie leads to him landing her phone number. Foxx’s characters beforeCollateralhad no problem winning over the ladies due to his natural charisma. Yet just because Max landed the beautiful lawyer’s digits does not necessarily mean he dares to call. Max has been afraid to take chances all his life because of his fear of failure. Such fear is why Vincent takes clear advantage of the cabbie’s introverted nature:He’s incapable of fighting for what he wants and submits to what he believes are no-win scenarios.
Tom Cruise Pushed Jamie Foxx to His Limit in ‘Collateral’
ThroughoutCollateral’s two-hour running time, Max is put into harm’s way by more than just Vincent. As the reluctant accomplice, Max finds himself tangling with theFBIand a local Hispanic drug lord who mistakes him for the cunning hitman. Even as Max tries to find ways out of the situation, including a moment when he tosses Vincent’s briefcase full of target files onto the freeway, he never brings himself far enough to save any of the people on the hit list.
Collateral’s relentless night ride of death echoes similar beats toEric Red’s 1989 thrillerCohen and Tate,where the terrified protagonist ultimately turns the psychological tables against the villains.Max’s forced loyalty to Vincent as a means of survival eventually evolves into wired-up couragewhen he’s pushed to his full limit. Vincent’s intense nihilism rubs off on Max after hours of witnessing horrible killings, resulting in Max crashing the cab on a road divider. Then, upon learning of Annie as Vincent’s final target, Max takes matters into his own hands for the first time in his entire life.
Foxx went on to be nominated for the Oscars twice in the same year forCollateraland his portrayal ofRay CharlesinRay. Though he won for the latter, Foxx’s role as Max was vital to his success going forward because it showed the industry howhe could play vulnerable and passive-aggressive in contrast to his more charismatic characters. Subsequent performances inThe SoloistandJust Mercyprove that Foxx can ground himself as a character down in a hopeless part of life seeking redemption, much like Max did on one fateful night.
Collateralis streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.
Collateral
