Breakdown

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Breakdown

R

1997

1h 33m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

58 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

On their cross-country drive, a married couple, Jeff (Kurt Russell) and Amy Taylor (Kathleen Quinlan), experience car trouble after an accident. Stranded in the New Mexico desert, the two catch a break when a passing truck driver, Red Barr (J.T. Walsh), offers to drive Amy to a nearby café to call for help. Meanwhile, Jeff is able to fix the car and make his way to the café, only to find his wife missing and Barr claiming ignorance. Jeff then begins a frenzied search for Amy.

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Critics Consensus

A brainy and suspenseful -- if somewhat uneven -- thriller.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

07/01/2022

3.5/4

Its simplicity is striking, and because the central premise is wholly believable, the sensational and impossible aspects become equally genuine as the film goes along.

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Stephen Hunter

Washington Post

05/07/2003

[Kurt Russell's] lack of energy afflicts the film as much as its director's lack of ideas.

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Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

11/06/2002

3.5/5

A taut suspense film.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jul 16

4/5

…Breakdown deserves an audience by virtue of a no-frills, all-thrills approach to involving and satisfying an audience in 93 minutes flat, with no stops or comfort breaks….

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Jen Johans

Film Intuition

10/13/2021

Clocking in at roughly ninety minutes, Mostow's film plays like a gritty yet glossy entry into the universally relatable Ordinary Person in Extraordinary Peril subgenre

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

09/24/2021

3/4

A turbo-charged thriller.

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Jack F

@MovieFan111 Nov 17

One of my favorite movies of all time. But it's sad because no one knows about it. I was on the edge of my seat the whole dang time!!

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john h

Jun 4

J.T. Walsh manages to mask himself as a truly hateful villain with no redeeming qualities and Russel heroically plays a determined Husband who enlightens audiences with his heroic deeds. The fight between two men with completely different morals is the central component as to why Breakdown is an adrenaline thriller.

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Jonathan O

May 13

A 90 minutes of pure suspenseful thriller ever.

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Jeffrey D

Mar 16

I picked this VHS tape up from Goodwill for $0.99 plus tax. It’s probably one of the most suspenseful movies I’ve ever seen.

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Ian B

Mar 15

Grab some popcorn and a beer for this thrilling non stop action movie. I can't believe I've not seen this before. Very enjoyable, fast paced with superb real stuntwork and great all round performances. Excellent

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Andy B

@AndyB21 Mar 6

Simple but effective and undeservedly forgotten little 90's kidnap thriller. Recommended.

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Jonathan Mostow

Director

Kurt Russell

Jeffrey "Jeff"' Taylor

J.T. Walsh

Warren "Red" Barr

Kathleen Quinlan

Amy Taylor

M.C. Gainey

Earl

Jack Noseworthy

Billy

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Synopsis

On their cross-country drive, a married couple, Jeff (Kurt Russell) and Amy Taylor (Kathleen Quinlan), experience car trouble after an accident. Stranded in the New Mexico desert, the two catch a break when a passing truck driver, Red Barr (J.T. Walsh), offers to drive Amy to a nearby café to call for help. Meanwhile, Jeff is able to fix the car and make his way to the café, only to find his wife missing and Barr claiming ignorance. Jeff then begins a frenzied search for Amy.

Director: Jonathan Mostow
Producer: Martha De Laurentiis, Dino De Laurentiis
Screenwriter: Jonathan Mostow, Sam Montgomery
Production Co: Dino De Laurentiis Company
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $50.2M
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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