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

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 131 Ratings

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8.4

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8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 131 Ratings

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Breakdown

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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

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Metascore

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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

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User Reviews

Sputter

Apr 21, 2021

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2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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.

33 of 34 users found this helpful331

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

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Vial44

May 1, 2021

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4 of 4 users found this helpful40

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

9 of 9 users found this helpful90

Shroud189

Jun 26, 2021

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2 of 3 users found this helpful21

HellHoleHorror

Feb 16, 2022

This reminded me of Red Rock West (1992) but it was also like a remake of Duel (1971). It plays as an action thriller. It is pretty tacky but oddly riveting. It is a guilty pleasure. The action is good but there isn’t a huge amount of it. The story is passable. It is never especiallyThis reminded me of Red Rock West (1992) but it was also like a remake of Duel (1971). It plays as an action thriller. It is pretty tacky but oddly riveting. It is a guilty pleasure. The action is good but there isn’t a huge amount of it. The story is passable. It is never especially exciting and being an action film it is often ridiculous.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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31	#31 Best Movie of 1997
29	#29 Most Discussed Movie of 1997
55	#55 Most Shared Movie of 1997