Common Sense Media Review
Powerful but violent thriller -- not for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Collateral
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 15 kid reviews
Kids say the film is a powerful thriller that features strong performances, particularly from Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, but it’s riddled with violence and profanity that may not be suitable for younger viewers. Many reviews highlight the film's intense scenes, moral questions, and the notable cinematography, although there are mixed feelings about its pacing and script quality.
- powerful performances
- strong violence
- intense themes
- not suitable for kids
- moral questions
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In COLLATERAL, Max (Jamie Foxx) is a cab driver who begins his shift by wiping off the dashboard and putting his favorite picture on the visor. He takes his job seriously. Vince (Tom Cruise) offers Max $600 to stay with him all night, through five stops. Max turns him down at first; it's against the rules. But then he says yes. He takes the fare to his first stop. Vince goes inside while Max waits for him. And then a dead body hits the roof of his cab. Vince is a hit man, and the five stops are people he has been hired to kill. Can Max save any of them? Can he save himself?
Is It Any Good?
As cool as a jazz riff from a tenor sax, this stylish and powerful thriller has it all. It boasts consistently absorbing characters, twisty dialogue and an even twistier story, and action that engages the heart as it thumps a little faster. Director Mann uses a silvery blue palette and spare, reflective, glass-filled settings to keep the mood as cool as moonlight. Both Jada Pinkett Smith and Mark Ruffalo are endlessly watchable, giving their characters subtlety and context to make us care far out of proportion to their time onscreen.
Foxx is turning into a performer of great presence and depth and he makes a convincing leading man. Cruise is a little out of his range but that works oddly well for Vince, giving him a little frisson of uncertainty underneath the Terminator-like singlemindedness of the character. And Cruise has moments of brilliance. He even runs in character, completely focused but so in each moment that he does not try to pace himself. He puts everything he has into each step forward.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Vince's ability to compartmentalize. He says he did not kill one of the victims, "the bullet and the fall killed him." Notice the way that Vince is always to the left of Max except in one scene. Which scene is that and why? What were Max's options? What is the meaning of the title? Who or what serves as collateral?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 5, 2004
- On DVD or streaming : December 13, 2004
- Cast : Jada Pinkett Smith , Jamie Foxx , Tom Cruise
- Director : Michael Mann
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : DreamWorks
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks )
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence and language
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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