COLLATERAL

By Christopher Rice

The super-thriller, not to be mistaken for super-natural thriller, released 2004 but viewing it last night gave me the chills, raised my blood pressure, and formed beads of sweat on my cheeks.

This film is absolutely one of the best urban movies in a long time. It places two opposites together in a tight little space for the entire movie. But unlike phonebooth, the characters do manage to escape the taxi here and there providing a great sense of the Los Angeles area as well as development between the two lead characters.

Tom's character is intense, fierce, and dangerous and the performance is reflects this description. The characters conflict spawns from their differences in philosophical perspective and ultimately creates a turning point for Foxx' character in the third act.

If you haven't seen it, see it. Especially if you're a screenwriter because there are endless examples of character driven action. Additionally, it reveals how to pin all forces, both good and evil, against your lead protagonist through the use of misunderstandings due to smart planning on the antagonists part.