History Film / Breakdown

* CorruptHick: Subverted. At first Jeff ''thinks'' the local police and sheriff are like this through a combination of their quite justified skepticism of [[YouHaveToBelieveMe his story]] and only going through the motions in helping him, and further aided by Jeff's paranoia (which was in fact [[GenreSavvy counted on and planted by the villains]]). But it turns out they really have nothing to do with the plot, and as soon as one of the cops becomes aware there really is something strange going on, [[HopeSpot he takes action to investigate]]. Unfortunately this leads to him getting shot by Earl, so that Jeff is on his own again.

** In Red's [[spoiler:kitchen, Jeff thinks he's got Red, Billy, and Al right where he wants them...then Red's son comes in pointing a shotgun at him.]]

* ConvenientlyPlacedSharpThing: Enforced. Jeff [[spoiler:steals a letter opener from the bank, probably to use as a weapon, but it comes in handy when he is tied up]].

* HateSink: Earl is almost assuredly this for the film. Not only does he set the whole plot in motion by [[spoiler: sabotaging Jeff and Amy's car]], but he proceeds to be one of biggest [[JerkAss Jerkasses]] in cinematic history. From routinely insulting Jeff to [[EvilGloating gloating about how he's going to kill Jeff and his wife]], there's never a moment where he comes off as an enjoyable person. It makes it all the more satisfying when [[spoiler: the sheriff shoots him dead]].

Jeff Taylor (Russell) and his wife Amy (Quintana) are driving cross-country from Boston to San Diego. The first sign of trouble is a barely-avoided collision with a truck. Followed by meeting its driver, Earl, (M. C. Gainey) at the gas station. Not long after leaving the station, their vehicle breaks down. A trucker named Warren "Red" Barr (J. T. Walsh) stops by and offers to take Amy to a nearby diner, from where she can hopefully call for help. Jeff soon finds out that their vehicle had a very specific problem: disconnected wires. And when he gets to the diner, Amy is nowhere to be seen. The rest of the movie follows Jeff as he struggles to find his wife.

[[quoteright:222:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Breakdown_2_7064.jpg]]

''Breakdown'' is a 1997 thriller, written and directed by Creator/JonathanMostow. The main stars were Creator/KurtRussell and Creator/KathleenQuinlan.

Jeff Taylor and his wife Amy are driving cross-country from Boston to San Diego. The first sign of trouble is a barely-avoided collision with a truck. Followed by meeting its driver Earl at the gas station. Not long after leaving the station, their vehicle breaks down. A trucker named Warren "Red" Barr stops by and offers to take Amy to a nearby diner, from where she can hopefully call for help. Jeff soon finds out that their vehicle had a very specific problem, disconnected wires. At the diner, however, Amy is nowhere to be seen. The rest of the movie follows Jeff as he struggles to find his wife.

Breakdown is a 1997 thriller, written and directed by Creator/JonathanMostow. The main stars were Creator/KurtRussell and Creator/KathleenQuinlan.

* ConvenientlyPlacedSharpThing: Enforced. Jeff [[spoiler:steals a letter opener from the bank, probably to use as a weapon, but it comes in handy when he is tied up]].

* EvilGLoating: Earl, after he has [[spoiler:taken Jeff's money, and has him tied up in his car. His gloating lets Jeff know why they were targeted, and that the kidnappers intend to kill them anyway.]]

* BitchInSheepClothing: Red when he first appears as the "friendly trucker".

Newlywed couple Jeff and Amy Taylor are driving their way across the United States to their new home: California. The first sign of trouble is barely-avoided collision with a truck. Followed by meeting its rather irritable driver Earl (Creator/MCGainey) at the nearest gas station. Not long after leaving said station, their vehicle breaks down in the middle of the desert. Warren "Red" Barr (J. T. Walsh), a trucker, stops by, offering to transport Amy to the closest diner. From where she can hopefully call for proper help.

Jeff soon finds out that their vehicle had a very specific problem, disconnected wires. Someone had arranged their "accident". Locating Red doesn't provide much help. He claims not remembering either Taylor. Local simpleton Billy (Jack Noseworthy) tells a contradictory tale. Jeff soon finds out Amy is abducted and more than one person blackmails him for money.

* DamselInDistress: Amy for most of the film.

** For a twofer, Red tried to use a length of [[ChainPain chain]] as a weapon to gain an edge on Jeff. This ultimately backfires on Red, when Jeff grabs the chain, and pulls Red over the edge of the bridge.

* ObfuscatingStupidity: Billy pretends to have an intellectual disability the first time Jeff meets him.
* OhCrap: In Red's kitchen, Jeff thinks he's got Red, Billy, and Al right where he wants them...then Red's son comes in pointing a shotgun at him.

* PlotDrivenBreakdown: Averted. Jeff and Amy's car breaking down sets the plot in motion, but we find out later that the breakdown happened for a very good reason: the motor was sabotaged.
* ProtectedByAChild: When Jeff walks into the farmhouse kitchen with a pistol and orders Red to hand over the key to the barn, Red's young son, Deke, grabs a loaded shotgun and tries to protect his parents.

** Additionally, whatever happened to Red's family, such as his wife and his son Deke? They were freed, so does that mean they're on the loose?

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Breakdown_2_7064.jpg

The film was a modest hit, earning $50,159,144 in the United States market but fairing poorly everywhere else. It was the 36th most profitable film of its year. The critics have been largely favorable to it due to solid performances by the actors, fast-paced action, and unusually plausible script. Its RottenTomatoes rating is 78 % fresh.

* ShutUpHannibal: Near the end of the movie, the BigBad starts to threaten the hero and his wife (the latter having just been rescued from the [[StuffedInTheFridge chest freezer]] in which the villains left her to suffocate) only to be silenced nine words in when a severely stressed-out Creator/KurtRussell screams "You FUCK!!!" and kicks him in the face.

* TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: By the time Jeff finds out that the "friendly" trucker and the "helpful" youth with the supposed mental disability are both in league with the bad-tempered stranger and all three have it in for him and Amy, he's gotten so [[ParanoiaFuel paranoid]] that he can't bring himself to trust anybody who lives in or around the town, not knowing who else might be in on the scheme.

* DistressedDamsel: Amy for most of the film.

Newlywed couple Jeff and Amy Taylor are driving their way across the United States to their new home: California. The first sign of trouble is barely-avoided collision with a truck. Followed by meeting its rather irritable driver Earl (MCGainey) at the nearest gas station. Not long after leaving said station, their vehicle breaks down in the middle of the desert. Warren "Red" Barr (J. T. Walsh), a trucker, stops by, offering to transport Amy to the closest diner. From where she can hopefully call for proper help.

Breakdown is a 1997 thriller, written and directed by Jonathan Mostow. The main stars were KurtRussell and KathleenQuinlan.

* ShutUpHannibal: Near the end of the movie, the BigBad starts to threaten the hero and his wife (the latter having just been rescued from the [[StuffedInTheFridge chest freezer]] in which the villains left her to suffocate) only to be silenced nine words in when a severely stressed-out KurtRussell screams "You FUCK!!!" and kicks him in the face.

-->"You've gotta be the dumbest motherf***er yet. Think we just picked you out of the clear blue? Shiny new car, Massachusetts plates...probably be a week before anybody misses you. Shoulda got that bumper sticker that goes with that car: 'Rich A**holes Looking for Trouble.' Sure wish I'd been there to see the look on your face when your car seized up on you. Maybe next time you'll learn...don't leave your hood open when you go in the store."

Newlywed couple Jeff and Amy Taylor are driving their way across the United States to their new home: California. The first sign of trouble is barely-avoided collision with a truck. Followed by meeting its rather irritable driver Earl (M. C. Gainey) at the nearest gas station. Not long after leaving said station, their vehicle breaks down in the middle of the desert. Warren "Red" Barr (J. T. Walsh), a trucker, stops by, offering to transport Amy to the closest diner. From where she can hopefully call for proper help.

* CompleteMonster: Earl, in M.C. Gainey's own words "There's nothing redeemable about that guy"

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Breakdown_7253.jpg