Of all the characters in the trilogy, Gollum has the most depth, and he's the most mysterious. You're never quite sure whose side he's on, or what motivates him, but I would think that his biggest motivator is greed. Every time we see him, he's trying to twist the situation so that everything works out to his advantage. It seems likely that he never was remorseful for his actions, but rather planned to betray the hobbits all along.
Of course, that said, Gollum is essential to the quest; both in getting Sam and Frodo to the mountain and ultimately destroying the ring. But these actions were in spite of Gollum's plans, not as a result of them. Thus, I would place Gollum in the same category as Boromir. Both, I believe, started out no better or worse than anyone else, but both were ruined by greed and the lust for power.
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