Breakdown

Name: Breakdown
Genre: Thriller
Released: May 2, 1997
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 73
Cast: J.T. Walsh, Kathleen Quinlan, Kurt Russell

1997

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 109 Ratings

See All

8.8

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8.8	Your Score
8.8	User Score Universal acclaim based on 109 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Breakdown

Now Playing: Breakdown

Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: May 2, 1997 | R

Starring: J.T. Walsh, Kathleen Quinlan, Kurt Russell

Summary: Jeff Taylor (Russell) and his wife Amy (Quinlan) are headed toward a new life in California when their car's engine dies on a remote highway. Amy accepts a ride from a helpful trucker (Walsh) while Jeff waits with the car. But when Jeff shows up at the agreed rendezvous, he finds his wife's not there. The locals aren't talking; the policeJeff Taylor (Russell) and his wife Amy (Quinlan) are headed toward a new life in California when their car's engine dies on a remote highway. Amy accepts a ride from a helpful trucker (Walsh) while Jeff waits with the car. But when Jeff shows up at the agreed rendezvous, he finds his wife's not there. The locals aren't talking; the police aren't much help. With no one to turn to, Jeff battles his worst fears and begins a desperate, danger-ridden search to find Amy -- before it's too late! (Paramount Pictures)… Expand

Director: Jonathan Mostow

Genre(s): Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 93 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy On

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Peter Stack

Bucking the lava tide of computer special effects gushing out of Hollywood this season, the makers of Breakdown use old-fashioned ingenuity -- plus a compelling star, a fast- paced mystery and a deadpan villain -- to come up with a sizzler. Read full review

F. X. Feeney

Breakdown recalls so many good movies, in such unpredictable order, that by the end it simply stands on its own, a solid, logical, edge-of-the-seat sluiceway of escape and pursuit. Read full review

Elvis Mitchell

His Breakdown is a tough, vigorous exercise in pure action, shot with throwback expertise and, most refreshingly, without special effects. Read full review

David Sterritt

It starts slowly, but builds to a spectacular climax with hearty sound effects and deftly directed stunts. Read full review

Roger Ebert

Breakdown is a fine thriller, and its ending is unworthy of it. Read full review

Stephen Hunter

The movie's surrender to banality is all the more dispiriting because it gets off to such a good start. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Breakdown is the latest in a seemingly endless traffic jam of thrillers that opens strong but finishes abominably. Read full review

SEE ALL 19 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

Triptych997

Jun 17, 2021

%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;%;$;%;$;$;$;$;$;$;$;$;$;
@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Carouse97

May 14, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Russell throws off the familiar guise, rejects showboat heroics and sweats for real. He's never been better.
Kurt Russells character Jeff, search for his wife is reminiscent of The Vanishing and yet there is something else, an insidious violence that declares open season on strangers. Whatever is going on, and you never quite know for certain, it has an ugly echo of the dark side of the country.

This could easily have been a style-washed film noir of the Red Rock West variety. Instead, Mostow remains believable, therefore increasing the tension. He makes you feel Taylor's terror and rage. He makes you breathe fast and shallow. Russell can be beef-caked and plastic films like Escape From New York, Big Trouble In Little China. He can be solid wood Stargate and stiff-upper ed The Thing. What Mostow achieves with him here is remarkable.

Taylor is not presented in Stallonescope, rather as an ordinary bloke who doesn't know what to do. Russell can slip into stereotype at the scratch of a producer's pen. What makes Breakdown such a convincing ride is his ability to convey fear and courage simultaneously. Taylor's out of his depth. He's scared, but he's going on. Russell throws off the familiar guise, rejects showboat heroics and sweats for real. He's never been better.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TylerDurden900

Jul 18, 2014

Breakdown is a fantastic thriller with Kurt Russell. The movie has great imagination and few movies can
have no flaws or slower paced scenes. Breakdown is a thriller in the tradition of all the classic thrillers.

25 of 26 users found this helpful251

Maxilla328

May 14, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very Scary Road Trip Movie!

I just saw this movie again for the first time since it was released in '97 and it was just as scary now as ever before. I love the open road and enjoy long drives but after recently watching this movie again I may have to re think my love of the open highway! Yikes!! Kurt Russell is great in this film as the hapless husband who tries to rescue his wife from the group of crazies who are holding her for ransom. But without spoiling the plot, this movie does remind me of one of the other really scary rod trip movie Wolf Creek. Both movie have slightly similar overtones of nutty backwoods (or back roads) people who kidnap innocent passerbys. This movie held me to the edge of my seat due to the suspenseful plot. Check it out but be sure to lock your car doors and check the rear view mirror!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

oust

Apr 26, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When Red (J.T. Walsh) says to Jeff (Kurt Russell): "49 minutes, Jeff. Time to get the show on the road." - it is exactly 49 minutes until the end of the movie.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

AmadeusE

Apr 11, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A classic thriller. One of Kurt Russell's best movies. I grew up with this movie. First saw it as a kid and first time viewing will leave you absolutely breathless. Watching it again now as an adult is just as enjoyable. Enjoying the atmosphere, the way the plot unfolds again and the overall superiority over today's movies. Not to mention Kurt Russell's fantastic acting. The same level of great acting that he deployed in his next movie Soldier, which is a badass action movie that's further enhanced by Kurt Russell's aforementioned acting skills.

As a little comment on the plot, I'd say his wife would have been good riddance, though. Stupid ass jumping into a stranger's truck without a second thought. I'm assuming they're supposed to be in their 40s too. At 40 years, she should already know better. That's not a millenial woman either, so there's absolutely no excuse, haha.… Expand

8 of 8 users found this helpful80

Rcavey92212

Mar 18, 2020

Action packed, edge of your seat, sweaty palm inducing, adrenaline fueled thrill ride. Breakdown is one of those films that's so intense and so well done it just gets under your skin and drills itself into your psyche. Kurt Russell is awesome as a yuppie whose car breaks down in the middleAction packed, edge of your seat, sweaty palm inducing, adrenaline fueled thrill ride. Breakdown is one of those films that's so intense and so well done it just gets under your skin and drills itself into your psyche. Kurt Russell is awesome as a yuppie whose car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. His wife hops a truck to the nearest rest top to get help but upon arriving there she never showed up. He begins to look for the truck and upon finding it the driver swears to never having seen him before. From than on he's in a urgent race to try and save his wife before it's too late. I don't wanna give anything else away for those who haven't seen it. But it's truly a wild ride and needs to be celebrated more. To this day it still gets my heart racing and my mom can't even watch it.

Budget: $36m
Domestic Box Office: $50m
Worldwide Box Office: $50m

4.25/5… Expand

0 of 10 users found this helpful010

SEE ALL 22 REVIEWS

30	#30 Best Movie of 1997
29	#29 Most Discussed Movie of 1997
55	#55 Most Shared Movie of 1997