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Breakdown

Play trailer Poster for Breakdown R 1997 1h 33m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 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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Breakdown

Breakdown

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Critics Consensus

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

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Critics Reviews

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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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review Jeff Strickler Minneapolis Star Tribune 11/06/2002
3.5/5
A taut suspense film. Go to Full Review 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…. Go to Full Review 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 Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 09/24/2021
3/4
A turbo-charged thriller. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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!! See more 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. See more Jonathan O May 13 A 90 minutes of pure suspenseful thriller ever. See more 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. See more 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 See more Andy B @AndyB21 Mar 6 Simple but effective and undeservedly forgotten little 90's kidnap thriller. Recommended. See more Read all reviews
Breakdown

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Cast & Crew

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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

Movie Clips

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Breakdown

Breakdown: Official Clip - I Want My Wife Back Breakdown: Official Clip - I Want My Wife Back 2:13 Breakdown: Official Clip - Give Me the Key Breakdown: Official Clip - Give Me the Key 1:57 Breakdown: Official Clip - Truck to the Face Breakdown: Official Clip - Truck to the Face 2:12 Breakdown: Official Clip - What Do You Want? Breakdown: Official Clip - What Do You Want? 2:02 Breakdown: Official Clip - Jeff Rescues Amy Breakdown: Official Clip - Jeff Rescues Amy 2:11 Breakdown: Official Clip - Truck Chase Breakdown: Official Clip - Truck Chase 2:12 Breakdown: Official Clip - Earl Shoots the Sheriff Breakdown: Official Clip - Earl Shoots the Sheriff 2:13 Breakdown: Official Clip - Jeff Breaks Free Breakdown: Official Clip - Jeff Breaks Free 2:07 View more videos

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Breakdown

Breakdown (1997) Breakdown (1997) View more photos

Movie Info

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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