Breakdown Poster

Breakdown (1997)

R 05/02/1997 Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Action, Drama 1h 33m
69%
User
Score
7.0/10
83%
73/100

It could happen to you.

Overview

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.

Jonathan Mostow

Director

Sam Montgomery

Screenplay

Top Billed Cast

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell

Jeff Taylor

J. T. Walsh

J. T. Walsh

Warren 'Red' Barr

Kathleen Quinlan

Kathleen Quinlan

Amy Taylor

M.C. Gainey

M.C. Gainey

Earl

Jack Noseworthy

Jack Noseworthy

Billy

Rex Linn

Rex Linn

Sheriff Boyd

Ritch Brinkley

Ritch Brinkley

Al

Moira Sinise

Moira Sinise

Arleen Barr

Kim Robillard

Kim Robillard

Deputy Len Carver

Full Cast & Crew →

Media

Breakdown - Trailer

Breakdown - Trailer

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Poster Poster
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Reviews

A review by CRCulver

Written on September 6, 2018

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 (...

Read the full review on TMDb →

A review by John Chard

Written on May 16, 2020

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 happen...

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A review by JPV852

Written on September 19, 2021

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 the full review on TMDb →
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