Breakdown (1997)

A man searches for his missing wife after his car breaks down in the middle of the desert.

Director:

Jonathan Mostow

Writers:

Jonathan Mostow (story), Jonathan Mostow (screenplay)

Stars:

Kurt Russell, J.T. Walsh, Kathleen Quinlan

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kurt Russell	...	Jeff Taylor
J.T. Walsh	...	Red Barr
Kathleen Quinlan	...	Amy Taylor
M.C. Gainey	...	Earl
Jack Noseworthy	...	Billy
Rex Linn	...	Sheriff Boyd
Ritch Brinkley	...	Al
Moira Sinise	...	Arleen (as Moira Harris)
Kim Robillard	...	Deputy Len Carver
Thomas Kopache	...	Calhoun
Jack McGee	...	Bartender
Vincent Berry	...	Deke
Helen Duffy	...	Flo
Ancel Cook	...	Barfly
Gene Hartline	...	Tow Truck Driver

Storyline

Jeff and Amy Taylor are moving to California and must drive across the country. When they find themselves stranded in the middle of a desert with hardly anyone or anything around, their trip comes to a sudden halt. Amy had taken a ride with a friendly trucker to a small diner to call for help, but after a long time, Jeff becomes worried. He finds that no one in the diner has seen or heard from his wife. When he finds the trucker who gave Amy the ride, the trucker swears he has never seen her. Now Jeff must attempt to find his wife, who has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. But who can he trust?

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Plot Keywords:

car truck chase | trucker | breakdown | missing wife | violence | 

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Taglines:

No-one is safe from chance

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence/terror and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 May 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

A félelem országútján

Filming Locations:

Archview RV Resort & Campground - 13701 N Hwy 191, Moab, Utah, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$36,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,307,128, 4 May 1997, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$50,129,186, 17 August 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dino De Laurentiis Company,Paramount Pictures,Spelling Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Coke can that Deputy Carver is sipping at the Sheriff's office is advertising the 1996 Olympics, and were still in circulation at that time.

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Goofs

If Red's gang had been obliged to be awake and on the road for nearly 24 hours straight ("We need to get far away from this area and dispose of all our incriminating evidence! I don't care if that means that we DO have to drive all night to get back to my house!"), they would have looked exhausted and baggy-eyed; they could not have appeared fresh and vigorous the way they do while having an early breakfast at Red's house.

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Quotes

Jeff: Give me the key.
Red: Mister...
Jeff: Don't "mister" me you son of a bitch. My wife is locked up in a hole in your fucking barn, and if you don't give me the key, I'm gonna blow your fucking head off!

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Dolly Parton/Taylor Kitsch (2014)

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Soundtracks

Nobody Knows
(1997)
Written by Jeffrey Pescetto
Performed by Robbyn Kirmsse
Produced by Jeffrey Pescetto

User Reviews

Extremely good and underrated!!! A must for any action/thriller fan!!

This film is really cool. Basically, a man and wife are travelling and fall victim to some very shady people in a cat and mouse game. As the film progresses, we get plenty of things you would expect if you were in this position yourself, like the people at the diner, and the involvement of the police, who politely inform you that they can't help any further after not much has been done. The scene in the police station where Jeffrey is looking at all the missing people made me wonder: 'how many of these people were involved with the trucker?'.

He involves the police but as I say they can't really do much, but he's not really all that concerned with those who suspect he's lying; he's concerned with the people who know he's telling the truth!!

The film also gives you the kind of scenes you need in order to stay interested and 'into it' so to speak, there are great plot twists here and there accompanied by some great acting and very fine action sequences. The scene in the truck with the great M.C Gainey's dialogue about how dumb Jeffrey is raises a lot of questions. The scene in the barn near the end is a real eye opener, when you see all the license plates and items of clothing and so on in boxes hidden in the top of the barn, whose are those? Also when Billy talks briefly about 'that couple in Ohio'. Have they done this thing a lot before?

Truly great film all around, you never get bored and you can rarely guess what will happen next! I must also compliment J.T. Walsh for giving a great performance as Red Barr, and Rex Linn for his great cameo as the police officer. You know how sometimes you start playing with your phone or keep looking at your watch? Oh no, not this time pal! Great acting, great action, great plot, I'm loving it!! 10/10