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Switchback

1997 · 118 min

A chilly, workmanlike chase through snowbound backroads that trades atmosphere for grit, with a grim cat-and-mouse tension that rarely lets up.

Directed by
Jeb Stuart
Genres
Thriller, Mystery
Tagline
The hunter becomes the hunted.
Overview
After FBI agent Frank Lacrosse believes his son was kidnapped by a notorious serial killer, he travels to Amarillo, Texas, where he believes the murderer is in hiding. Although officially taken off the case because of its personal significance to him, Frank continues to pursue the killer, causing concern for local sheriff Buck Olmstead. When another victim pops up at a nearby car garage, Frank knows that he is as close as he'll ever be to tracking down the elusive killer.

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Directed by
Jeb Stuart
Genres
Thriller, Mystery
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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
    Pacing
    measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
    Attention
    engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
    Themes
    • obsession
    • revenge
    • parenthood
    • deception
    • survival
    Places
    • small town
    • countryside
    • road trip
    Era
    contemporary
    Audience
    adult
    Form
    • twist ending
    Content intensity
    • Gore mild
    • Language mild
    • Violence strong
    • Sex mild
    All scales, 0 to 10
    Scales, 0 to 10
    ScaleValue0 to 10
    Action6
    Horror4
    Humour2
    Realism7
    Romance0
    Tension7
    Darkness7
    Complexity6
    Emotional weight6

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    Cast

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    Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

    Details

    Genres
    thriller, mystery
    Directed by
    Jeb Stuart
    Written by
    Jeb Stuart
    Starring
    Dennis Quaid, Danny Glover, R. Lee Ermey, Jared Leto, Ted Levine, William Fichtner, Walton Goggins, Kevin Cooney
    Music
    Basil Poledouris
    Cinematography
    Oliver Wood
    Runtime
    118 min
    Country
    United States of America
    Languages
    English

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