But another plot twist. Fox has forgotten about his mother in the hospital, or rather, not forgotten, but under the circumstances, thought it best to not visit on this particular evening (he’s rather occupied with a gun to his head and dead bodies crashing down and riding in his trunk etc.). But no, Vincent says, any break from routine will “look suspect” (a-ha! unlike the cracked and bloodied windshield that is highly visible and the blood all over the front seat, we wouldn’t’ want to draw attention to ourselves.) Vincent says that they must “not deviate from routine” and so the two, this cabbie and hit man, show up to visit Mama Fox in the hospital. She is the classic, stereotype of what an African American mama in Hollywood is. She is physically large, white-haired, kindly, sort of eccentric and tough all at once, tells (predictably) embarrassing stories about Fox to Vincent, who sits on Mama’s hospital bed, listening intently to how proud Mama is of her son’s “limousine business” in which he “drives all ‘dem famous people.”
Vincent, smilingly, goes along with the story, while Fox meanwhile, stands mortified in the corner, trying to get “Ma” to shut up and to get this hit man and himself the hell out of there because he’s had enough for one night and now he’s being embarrassed. But here again, this will work out too conveniently in the plot. Now that Vincent has the goods, so to speak, on Fox, he decides to take some sort of weird pity on him. Sees him really, for what he is: a stuck guy in a stuck life who can dream big, but is both frightened and more, doesn’t have the means. Fox will have his revenge.
After the two leave the hospital, out of anger and frustration (and out of nowhere), he takes Cruise’s important black suitcase and tosses it off an overpass, sending all the night’s information scattering and floating over an L.A. freeway where it is forever lost. Gone are Vincent’s orders for the night and they must be retrieved from the man who has ordered the hits in the first place, and since Cruise doesn’t want to face him (he could wind up shot if the reason for “losing” said information is not good enough), he sends in Fox. Hey, the top banana here has never physically seen his hired hit man; he won’t know if Fox is bluffing or not. All Fox has to do is go into this club-like place and pretend to be Vincent, somehow explain, and get the list again or a disc with the list.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
Fine insights, Sadi. I too, felt it was a good film, but as contrived as most other pulp put out nowadays. Of course, the superlative acting make this a must-watch in a shallow sea of crap.
2 - sadi
thanks Aaman. The film is certainly entertaining enough and i would recommend it in many ways, hokey or not. it's still a fun ride... and i'm all tired out of the end of the world, dead people trend in films these days (White Noise, The Grudge, etc etc). Life has gotten creepy enough - why the need to boost the creeped out factor? Curious.
thanks =-
sadi
3 - Unisol
Sadi,
No disrespect, but, how often did the popcorn chewing get in the way of dialogue and several key scenes that are important to the plot?
First off, the character played by Jada Pinkett Smith was, as you say, NEVER dropped off at her house. The dialogue between herself and Foxx points this out, as does the building where she is dropped off (gasp!) is a FEDERAL courthouse.
Second, it was the FIRST hit that went wrong...not the FOURTH. This is an example of Karma, which the hitman Vincent (Cruise) eludes too, saying "you have to roll with it."
Third, "why would a professional hit-man stick with the cab instead of doing XYZ?" Hmm, lets see...window crash, Max (Foxx) screams, loud noise and chatter from Vincent and his driver...all a few feet away from an apartment complex. It would seem better to just get the hell out of there and leave as little evidence behind as possible (which was why the body went in the truck, why Vincent washed most of the blood off the windshield, and why he took Max with him...because to kill him, leave them there, steal another car and change the plate...well...that leaves stuff behind for someone to find...and it takes too much time...as Vincent refers to his scedule constantly. Seems to be a VERY professional hit-man to me.
Fourth, the relationship between Max and Vincent. They are not the same. Vicent sees Max as inferior for the most part...and those moments he does see and mirror of himself in Max, he pushes it aside by insulting him. Perfect example, the Jazz club scene...Vicent really does not want to kill the Jazz player. But a job is a job...and Vicent loves his work. When Max brings up "improvisation", a term Vicent used earlier to justify something, Vincent sees his own inner self in Max...so he pushes him aside by saying, "That's funny coming from you." But Vincent relents and gives in, giving the Jazz player a possible out by answering a Jazz trivia question.
Another great example is (you fav.) the scene with Max's mother. Vicent was absolutely right about the "pattern" Max has and any changing of it. As we can see, Max's mother has a big mouth and would've probably raised hell if her son didn't come to see her. Case in point. Vicent's, which you learn if you pay attention, mother died when he was a child...around 2-4 years of age. In essence, he never had a mother...and his father was a bastard by all standards. Talking with Max's mother provides a connection, something Vicent hasn't experienced in his life...and it intrigues him and he see's Max's reaction to Vicent being near his mother and sees, first hand and very up close...the love between a mother and her son. A revelation for the hit-man i am sure.
This is also the moment, not in the nightclub (though i agree with you that this is where Max finally "HAS" to act and confront all falsity) that Max snaps and "acts", finding his backbone and balls, not becuase out of any sense of duty or fear or heroism...but out of jealousy because his mother is treating this total stranger with more kindness and tenderness and love...than she will allow herself to treat him with. Only by talking to a killer, can she finally say she is proud of him (even if the reason is false) and that she loves him. That kind of attention drives Max to actually DO something that matters, take away the list from Vincent.
Well...I think that is it. If you agree, good. If not...oh well...my two cents. The article was very well written though.
Oh yeah! Forgot! Those were coyotes that crossed the road in that scene...and they tend to travel alone...but sometimes in pairs or a pack of 3-4. Just some info.
Later.
4 - steve
this movie was great. I had a fixed opinion of jamie foxx...that he could never achieve anything past booty call..but he is actually a great actor. right after collateral...ray came out...confirmed my thoughts.
it was also nice to see tom cruise as a bad guy. I liked the story structure....liked the jazz club scene the best.....love the music...its called "pharoh's dance" by miles davis...off bitches brew...the first real fusion album....GREAT movie...Ill give it a b+
5 - sade
i liked it too in some ways, a B+ is about right... thx. for reading and also, above, thx, for the info. about coyotes. who knew?
Cheers and rock on,
sade
6 - Bob A. Booey
I don't like Jaime Foxx, but I thought this looked good when I saw the commercials way back and Tom Cruise has picked some interesting scripts the last few years. I'm going to rent this and I'll let you know if it's good.
That is all.
7 - sade
okay; obviously, my own thoughts are in the review.
cheers,
s.r.p.