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Breakdown

Breakdown

1997
Suspense/Thriller, Action
1h 33m
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 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)
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Breakdown

1997
Suspense/Thriller, Action
1h 33m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 49.6% from 1180 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1180)
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Rated 04 Aug 2021
69
59th
You know what I blame this on the breakdown of? Society.
Rated 11 Mar 2016
80
91st
Absolutely nerve-wracking thriller with a killer cast headed by Kurt Russell and J.T. Walsh in their finest hour. I've seen very many that were similarly themed, but this is among the finest.
Rated 28 May 2007
7
57th
Childhood favorite of mine; Reminded me of Spoorloos (The Vanishing), which is a superior film, but this one gets the job done as well.
Rated 01 May 2016
60
58th
After having seen dozens of them, I'm a near-connoisseur in shitty 90's action movies. This certainly has enough elements fulfilling the criteria to be considered one, but it also has surprising kafkaesque tones, has, at times, an odd, naturalistic aesthetic.The cop, for example, seemed like how a genuine cop would act, as did a couple other characters. I wouldn't be surprised if Mostow had to compromise for funding.
Rated 30 Apr 2019
4
55th
a surprisingly adept homage to '70s thrillers that could almost be mistaken for the real thing, with mostow giving his best DUEL-era spielberg, letting kurt and some superior character actors do the rest. i was always a touch disappointed in DUEL, having been sold something even more stripped down, elemental and abstract; the climax here, with its close-ups of desperate, scrabbling humanity amidst a claustrophobic cacophony of screeching grinding metal, may surpass it in that regard.
Rated 16 Apr 2020
75
59th
Breakdown is a great example of a B-movie elevated by topnotch suspense. Russell simply has to bleed desperation and let things unfold around him to get this tight thriller moving. Underappreciated 90s gem.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
8
3rd
This movie made me wish I was under the truck so prominently displayed in it, hopefully crushed and nearing death.
Rated 01 Mar 2008
50
31st
If this took place in the apocalyptic future 50 years from now, and "Jeff" was wearing an eyepatch, I'd give this a free pass. However, since this took place in modern times and Kurt Russell only sports a mop hairdo, it was an average thriller with a decent cast. The ending, though, with the vengeful Casey Jones-ish brake release and return to crying hysterically, was hilarious for all the wrong reasons.
Rated 04 Jul 2009
67
37th
Begins well, but eventually gets less entertaining and more ridiculous. Good performance by Russell though.
Rated 04 Apr 2020
55
30th
90'lar, ucuz gerilimli hikayeler ve yer yer vites yükselten pratik efektli aksiyon birleşimi tutarlı ve eğlenceli seyirlikler çıkarma konusunda çok iyi bir kombo, hele bir de kurt russell eklenince tadından yenmeyen boş ve heyecanlı filmin tanımı ortaya çıkıyor adeta.
Rated 07 Apr 2021
94
89th
Lean, gripping B-pic is as perfectly executed an example of a stripped-back thriller as you could hope for; powered by an understated evocation of dogged determination from Russell, and stolen by an absolutely chilling, brilliant turn from Walsh who makes his amoral villain all too vivid and believable; he is helped by a watertight screenplay, which remains believable and credible throughout, arguably save for a few "he-man" moments from Russell, which can be forgiven as par for the course.
Rated 13 Nov 2022
70
76th
All I could ask for in a Kurt Russell action movie. Great stunts. Truckers. Tension. The pace never really drags. I had a good time imagining myself in that situation, wondering what I would do. I wish Quinlan had more to do or was more helpful towards the end. There was a section in the middle that felt like a Jeep ad. Fav scenes: all the truck stunts, with Russell hanging onto the bottom, or at the end climbing up while it's hanging onto the bridge.
Rated 12 Jan 2024
75
55th
as a native californian breakdown is exactly how I pictured the ol us of a between the coasts as a young boy: a miserable endless desert of chainless restaurants, denim shirts, jt walshs and mc gaineys. they don’t even have complete names! I’ve probably seen portions of this film about seventy times, the whole thing together all at once was quite neat. poor kurt russell had to share haircuts with his wife. I genuinely remembered the bald cop being in on it, my poor old brain is mush. fun film!
Rated 01 Mar 2007
50
35th
Not bad.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
79
59th
Typical 90s fare, but that still doesn't mean it's not fun.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
88th
INCREDIBLY tight little kidnapping caper. Does very little wrong, and it shows.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
40
19th
Well made, but I just didn't get into it.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
78th
Great movie. Intense and watchful. Great acting, and directing. It's hard to swallow after this one.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
88
68th
Strong thriller.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
76
36th
Pretty good thriller. Not in the same vein as Basic Instinct or fatal Attraction but not bad nonetheless
Rated 14 Aug 2007
71
29th
Makes ya think...what if this happened to me?
Rated 15 Aug 2007
67
43rd
Kurt Russel, man. He's kinda awesome.
Rated 16 Aug 2007
10
0th
Weak plot, weak acting. Having said that, this is one of those great movies to watch while getting drunk with your friends!
Rated 23 Aug 2007
85
86th
Very Good. A surreal thriller about a man looking for his kidnapped wife in rural America.
Rated 16 Sep 2007
70
63rd
suspenseful, but mostly works due to the 3 leads.
Rated 24 Nov 2007
79
56th
Good feeling of despair situation.
Rated 19 Dec 2007
82
83rd
Very suspenseful!
Rated 11 Feb 2008
82
83rd
A throat-tightening, suspense-filled thriller. Kurt Russell has a great performance here.
Rated 22 Aug 2008
90
55th
Entertaining, suspensful, action packed!
Rated 30 Jan 2009
40
27th
The film begins well, with great atmosphere of tension, but soon after, get a salad full of scenes regrettable.
Rated 12 Feb 2009
55
58th
okay movie
Rated 29 Apr 2009
87
56th
Russell does a very good job in this. Nice performance by the always interesting J.T. Walsh as well.
Rated 18 Jun 2009
87
88th
Bunny Lake is Driving!
Rated 28 Oct 2009
3
74th
This is not a great film, but it's a pretty entertaining movie. You can't watch something like this an expect anything other than by-the-books, predictable suspense/thriller, but I don't always want a $40 steak dinner. Sometimes I just want a $5 cheeseburger.
Rated 26 Dec 2009
60
71st
I loved this film the first time I caught it on telly 20-odd years ago but time and familiarity have eroded some of its charm. The set up is good and allows a tense, ‘Frantic’-type atmosphere to set in, but the action thrown into the climax jars a little and becomes increasingly nonsensical. Better on first viewing, when you don’t know what’s coming next.
Rated 29 Dec 2009
20
8th
Ok enough to watch if it shows up on FX or TBS, but I would never rent, buy or go see this in theaters.
Rated 23 May 2010
3
65th
Excellent 90's thriller. - Good
Rated 08 Sep 2010
44
54th
#00s(e)#, story
Rated 25 Sep 2010
69
73rd
Pretty taut thriller that quickly threatens to unravel into standard fare. Decent acting however, keeps it afloat raises it back above the bar.
Rated 22 Nov 2010
10
6th
I just want TCI, that's not the real score I give it.
Rated 31 Dec 2010
85
25th
Really enjoyed it -- very exciting!
Rated 01 Feb 2011
60
41st
Decent-to-good.
Rated 23 May 2011
6
55th
Kurt Russell goes from to timid big city yuppie to batshit crazy army-of-one trying to save his wife. And get this: That transformation is actually only semi-ludicrous. Drawing on everything from "Spoorloos" to "Straw Dogs", Mostow crafts a pretty enjoyable thriller with an equally fitting and absurd final mano a mano standoff. Way better than expected.
Rated 27 Jun 2011
92
88th
Gran triller
Rated 29 Jul 2011
60
65th
Exactly the type of movie I expect Kurt Russel to star in. Mindless action thriller that sates a certain hunger. Good for what it is. A couple of scenes play like a Jeep Cherokee commercial, but who doesn't love a good Jeep Cherokee commercial? Oh...
Rated 04 Aug 2011
56
18th
Incredibly entertaining, despite many flaws. Very good performance by Kurt Russell.
Rated 26 Dec 2011
70
40th
A well-paced thriller similar to something Hitchcock might have made.
Rated 07 Jun 2012
76
43rd
Solid actioner. Kurt Russell saves the day, as per.
Rated 12 Jan 2013
70
47th
Standard thriller, though some strong acting by Kurt Russell.
Rated 07 Jun 2015
70
53rd
Solid action/thriller flick with good performances from Russell and J.T.Walsh.
Rated 14 May 2016
93
78th
A-
Rated 01 Mar 2017
80
88th
"Breakdown" is a very taut film. The script, the pacing, the direction and the acting, especially by Kurt Russell and J.T. Walsh, are all very good and immerse the viewer 100%. It's an excellent example of a maybe not ambitious but definitely very suspenseful thriller that will blow your mind not only with the action but also the way it "manipulates" the viewer's sentiment, imposing on them the helplessness of the protagonist and making them root for him with the utmost sympathy and concern.
Rated 31 Mar 2018
23
16th
Leão.
Rated 09 Mar 2020
62
14th
Harmless 90's thriller fair. Russell overacts in this, possibly trying to polish the scripts turdiness. The film verges on the ridiculous at times, my favourite moment being the kidnapped wife spotting her saviours eyeball in a plank's hole 50 metres away.
Rated 30 Jul 2020
85
59th
Viewed July 29, 2020.
Rated 13 Aug 2020
80
72nd
Sürükleyici, gerilimli, esrarengiz bir film. Sinirleri geren yapısı var. 90'ların Hollywood filmlerinin orta hallisi bile gayet iyi gerçekten. Kurt Russell da harika iş çıkarmış, performansı, duygusu etkileyiciydi.
Rated 04 Oct 2021
68
57th
A very tense ride from start to finish! I particularly enjoyed the feeling of desperation that arose from the uncertainty of the situation and Jeff Taylor's estrangement from country life in the first act. The impact is as good as Spoorloos. Yes, after revealing the motivation and truth behind the events, the film shifts to mainstream cinema but it's not necessarily a bad thing. Just give this man the award of "Best Husband of the Year."
Rated 17 Oct 2022
61
26th
Meat and potatoes '90s thriller. The jumping-off point--human traffickers in the heartland--is more plausible than most movies of this type, but that serious undercurrent somehow makes the movie's escalating ridiculousness a bit less fun. I almost didn't laugh when Kurt Russell pops up clean, handsome, and perfectly coiffed despite riding on the underside of a semi trailer for god knows how long.
Rated 18 Nov 2022
53
57th
Breakdown feels quite generic through the first half, then Kurt Russell decides to take action and things get a lot more fun. The solid acting and tension satisfy.
Rated 20 Jul 2023
85
85th
So goddamn tight and efficient. It's exactly 90 minutes when the credits roll, and not a single one of those minutes is wasted. The tension and action set pieces all work really well and make a simple story extremely engrossing
Rated 21 Jul 2023
5
47th
stupid

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