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Breakdown

"It could happen to you."

1997-05-02 Crime 1hr 33m

On their cross-country drive, a married couple, Jeff and Amy Taylor, experience car trouble after their SUV breaks down. Stranded in the New Mexico desert, the two catch a break when a passing truck driver offers Amy a ride to a nearby café to call for help. Meanwhile, Jeff is able to fix the car and make his way to the café, but Amy isn't there. He tracks down the trucker -- who tells the police he's never seen Jeff or his wife before. Jeff then begins a desperate, frenzied search for Amy.

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Storyline

On their cross-country drive, a married couple, Jeff and Amy Taylor, experience car trouble after their SUV breaks down. Stranded in the New Mexico desert, the two catch a break when a passing truck driver offers Amy a ride to a nearby café to call for help. Meanwhile, Jeff is able to fix the car and make his way to the café, but Amy isn't there. He tracks down the trucker -- who tells the police he's never seen Jeff or his wife before. Jeff then begins a desperate, frenzied search for Amy.

  • Released
    1997-05-02
  • Revenue
    $50,159,144
  • Budget
    $36,000,000
  • Runtime
    1hr 33m
  • Genre
    Crime, Mystery, Thriller
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    7
  • Production
    Paramount Pictures, The De Laurentiis Company, Spelling Films

Crew

Jonathan Mostow
Director
Jonathan Mostow
Screenplay

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Cast

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell

Jeff Taylor
J. T. Walsh

J. T. Walsh

Warren 'Red' Barr
Rex Linn

Rex Linn

Sheriff Boyd
Moira Sinise

Moira Sinise

Arleen Barr
Kim Robillard

Kim Robillard

Deputy Len Carver
Jack McGee

Jack McGee

Bartender
Vincent Berry

Vincent Berry

Deke Barr
Gene Hartline

Gene Hartline

Tow Truck Driver
Steve Waddington

Steve Waddington

Cowboy In Bank
Rick Sanders

Rick Sanders

Truck Stop Trucker
Alitzah

Alitzah

Spanish Girl (uncredited)
Rick Zieff

Rick Zieff

Producer (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

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Movie Reviews

Reviews for Breakdown
reviewer avatar

A Review by CRCulver 2

Written by CRCulver on 2018-09-06

In <i>Breakdown</i>, Kurt Russell and Amy Quinlan play a wealthy New England couple who find horror in Iowa. While driving cross-country, th... read more

In <i>Breakdown</i>, Kurt Russell and Amy Quinlan play a wealthy New England couple who find horror in Iowa. While driving cross-country, their car breaks down. The various local people they meet who initially seem helpful are in fact criminals working together. The wife is kidnapped, the husband is told to pay half a million to get her back alive, and Kurt Russell decides he'd rather fight. I found this a rather lame movie. Its believability goes way down when, for example, Kurt Russell rides on the bottom of a moving truck trailer and easily finds his way up to the cab. There are obvious continuity and other errors here: a villain gets a brutal rifle blast to his shoulder, but a few minutes later he's driving a car with no visible problems; a small child is shown playing video games (so it's early evening), but a few minutes later in the same scene dawn breaks. About the only entertainment here is the acting of J.T. Walsh and M.C. Gainey, who are caricatures but fun ones. Kurt Russell, on the other hand, acts like he's not particularly happy to have taken this role, and is just going through the motions until he gets his paycheck. I must say that the purported message, if any, of this film is intriguing. <i>Breakdown</i> seems to be suggesting that decent people from the coasts shouldn't venture into flyover country, since it is the den of rednecks who lie in wait for them. The forces behind this film clearly weren't interested in fairly portraying the Midwest.

reviewer avatar

A Review by John Chard 8

Written by John Chard on 2020-05-16

Super Thriller. Breakdown is directed by Jonathan Mostow and Mostow co-writes the screenplay with Sam Montgomery. It stars Kurt Russell, ... read more

Super Thriller. Breakdown is directed by Jonathan Mostow and Mostow co-writes the screenplay with Sam Montgomery. It stars Kurt Russell, J.T. Walsh, M.C. Gainey, Kathleen Quinlan, Rex Linn, Jack Noseworthy and Ritch Brinkley. Music is by Basil Poledouris and cinematography by Douglas Milsome. When his SUV breaks down on a remote Southwestern road, Jeff Taylor (Russell) lets his wife, Amy (Quinlan), hitch a ride with a trucker to get help. When she doesn't return, Jeff fixes his SUV and tracks down the trucker -- who tells the police he's never seen Amy... Sometimes all you need is a an unflashy thriller that soars because it keeps it simple. Mostow's thriller is a nail biter, preposterous at times for sure, but with Jeff (Russell superb) frantically trying to find what has happened to his wife - out in the desert landscape of America - we get a guy we can totally root for. As the cards get dealt we come to be aware of scumbag predators in his midst, the suspense gets ramped up and we are never quite sure how it's all going to pan out. This has no ideas above its station, and as the heat gets turned up bit by bit, come the thrilling finale you may find it's time to breath easy again... 8/10

reviewer avatar

A Review by JPV852 8

Written by JPV852 on 2021-09-19

Simple but really solid suspense-thriller with some good sequences especially the finale with great car stunts. Not much to the performances... read more

Simple but really solid suspense-thriller with some good sequences especially the finale with great car stunts. Not much to the performances or characters, but Kurt Russell was, as usual, good in the lead and J.T. Walsh sinister as the primary villain. **3.75/5**

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by CRCulver

In <i>Breakdown</i>, Kurt Russell and Amy Quinlan play a wealthy New England couple who find horror in Iowa. While driving cross-country, their car breaks down. The various local people they meet who initially seem helpful are in fact crimi...

reviewer avatar

A Review by CRCulver 2

Written by CRCulver on 2018-09-06

In <i>Breakdown</i>, Kurt Russell and Amy Quinlan play a wealthy New England couple who find horror in Iowa. While driving cross-country, their car breaks down. The various local people they meet who ...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by John Chard 8

Written by John Chard on 2020-05-16

Super Thriller. Breakdown is directed by Jonathan Mostow and Mostow co-writes the screenplay with Sam Montgomery. It stars Kurt Russell, J.T. Walsh, M.C. Gainey, Kathleen Quinlan, Rex Linn, Jack No...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by JPV852 8

Written by JPV852 on 2021-09-19

Simple but really solid suspense-thriller with some good sequences especially the finale with great car stunts. Not much to the performances or characters, but Kurt Russell was, as usual, good in the ...

read more