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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Freeway is one of those movies that has the power to simultaneously amaze and disgust just about anyone who dares to view it. Like Seven, Kalifornia, and Natural Born Killers, it's a movie that could be called a product of our times, since it caters to our societal fascination with serial killers and outrageous psychopathic behavior. But make no mistake: director Matthew Bright isn't out to feed anyone's sickest impulse. This is a scathing satire in the age of Jerry Springer fistfights and "real" TV shows like Cops, in which the "I-5 Killer" (Kiefer Sutherland) meets a wayward teenager (Reese Witherspoon) on the freeway that provides his nickname. She confides in the man but soon discovers his gruesome intentions, and ... well, let's just say she effectively defends herself, only to find later that the killer (whose wife is played by Brooke Shields, no less!) has used the media to his advantage. Fine performances make this a provocative thriller, but it's definitely not for the innocent or squeamish. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
A hip darkly comic on-the-road tale about a young woman who has an unfortunate encounter with a figurative big bad wolf while hitching a ride to grandma's house to escape her abusive family. System Requirements:Runtime: 102 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: R UPC: 017153211610 Manufacturer No: 21161
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A 15-year-old illiterate girl named Vanessa Lutz (Reese Witherspoon, about 19 at the time) lives in a crummy motel with her lunatic, methadone-addicted, prostitute mother (Amanda Plummer in an incredible performance) and crack-smoking, child-molesting step father (Michael T. Weiss, of The Pretender, as you have never seen him....before or since). When mom and dad get arrested for about the 100th time, poor young Vanessa evades Child Protective Services custody, gets a gun from her black, gangster fiance (Bokeem Woodbine) who can't join her because of a parole hearing in the morning and who is immediately murdered in a drive-by shooting, and, wearing a red jacket and carrying a basket, she heads for Grandma's house (ala Little Red Riding Hood), only to have car trouble and be picked up by the dreaded I-5 rapist, pederast, and serial murderer (Keiffer Sutherland)....now here is the best part: this is a COMEDY !!!
Granted, it is the blackest of dark comedies, but make no mistake, this gem offers some of the most hilarious dialog and situations you will even see on film. Brilliantly written and directed by newcomer Matthew Bright, it features superb performances by a remarkable cast, including an almost unrecognizable Brittany Murphy as a deranged, paint-sniffing lesbian with a face that is hacked up like a post-Christmas ham.
Possibly due to its unorthodox tone and content, this 1996 masterpiece never received the marketing and public release it deserved, but was still selected by critics (including Roger Ebert) as one of the finest films of the year.
If you want to see a performance by Reese Witherspoon that makes all her subsequent roles, including Ring of Fire, look like high school plays, then please give this DVD a try. It isn't the cute, cuddly, predictable Reese of recent times, but an infinitely more entertaining, gun-toting, butt-kicking, foul-mouthed wild woman who doesn't take kindly to those who dare to treat her with disrespect. Like Kill Bill and True Romance, this movie features strong women in situations where attempted victimization by men inevitably leads to mayhem....and a lot of dead, disfigured men.
This is a very special movie that will appeal to those who enjoy the gritty action and dark comedic aspects of movies like Pulp Fiction, True Romance, and Kill Bill. Matthew Bright hit a major home run on his first time up to bat and has, unfortunately, struck out since. His DVD commentary track will help you understand and appreciate the intricacies of this truly great movie and the personal, somewhat bizarre eccentricities of the director who made it all happen.
Granted, it is the blackest of dark comedies, but make no mistake, this gem offers some of the most hilarious dialog and situations you will even see on film. Brilliantly written and directed by newcomer Matthew Bright, it features superb performances by a remarkable cast, including an almost unrecognizable Brittany Murphy as a deranged, paint-sniffing lesbian with a face that is hacked up like a post-Christmas ham.
Possibly due to its unorthodox tone and content, this 1996 masterpiece never received the marketing and public release it deserved, but was still selected by critics (including Roger Ebert) as one of the finest films of the year.
If you want to see a performance by Reese Witherspoon that makes all her subsequent roles, including Ring of Fire, look like high school plays, then please give this DVD a try. It isn't the cute, cuddly, predictable Reese of recent times, but an infinitely more entertaining, gun-toting, butt-kicking, foul-mouthed wild woman who doesn't take kindly to those who dare to treat her with disrespect. Like Kill Bill and True Romance, this movie features strong women in situations where attempted victimization by men inevitably leads to mayhem....and a lot of dead, disfigured men.
This is a very special movie that will appeal to those who enjoy the gritty action and dark comedic aspects of movies like Pulp Fiction, True Romance, and Kill Bill. Matthew Bright hit a major home run on his first time up to bat and has, unfortunately, struck out since. His DVD commentary track will help you understand and appreciate the intricacies of this truly great movie and the personal, somewhat bizarre eccentricities of the director who made it all happen.
52 of 58 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Better than both "Seven" and "Natural Born Killers", director Matthew Bright's "Freeway" is a looseleaf modern view of Red Riding Hood where Reese Witherspoon plays Red traveling to Grandma's house.
Only she takes this trip after her prostitute mother and junkie stepdad are arrested, she escapes the cluthces of foster care, she says goodbye to her fiancee who is then murdered in a driveby shooting, she hitches a ride with a psycho who turns out to be a mass murderer, she kills a few people, ends up in lockup, escapes, finally makes it to Gradma's house, where some more bloody action takes place.
Oh yes, she has homosexual and heterosexual sex, spends a lot of time saying the "F" word, brutalizes most anyone that gets in her way, and otherwise creates mayhem for everybody. Sounds like your typical Reese Witherspoon role, eh? No, not by a long shot.
But one thing about her role -- she is fantastic, out of this world great. She is twice the actress in this role she was playing June Carter Cash, for which she won an Oscar as best actress. On the basis of these roles, Witherspoon must be considered one of the best actresses extant right now.
As the description here and on Amazon indicates, this movie presses the envelope of the "R" rating as far as possible without slipping over into NC-17. There is gory, bloody violence throughout this film, nudity and more "F" and "F"ing talk than you heard by Matt Damon when he played that low-class genius at Harvard. Someone told me they said "F" 147 times in that movie. Witherspoon herself must say it that many times here.
But none of this diminishes the astonishing electricity and action that swallows the viewer right from the opening scene, where junkie-hooker mom gets arrested and weirdo-junkie stepdad forces Reese to do the nasty while mom's out earning a living. There is an uncompromising level of reality in these characterization, too, although it's clearly an over the top psycho young Sutherland plays.
In an astonishing bit of casting, squeeky clean prom queen type Brooke Shields is cast as the uptight, upscale wife to lurid pervent and child molester Sutherland, whose character is even more disgusting than Witherspoon's. While everyone wants Sutherland rubbed out, Witherspoon manages to keep viewer sympathy because of for her terrible place in life even throughout her ongoing antisocial activities. Other players, incluidng Dan Hedaya as a cop with sympathies all over the place, contribute a lot to this film.
This is recommended for viewers unafraid to look inside the dark side of our culture where youngsters like the one Witherspoon plays actually exist. There is nothing pretty or orderly about this movie; much of it seems upside down. But it is unrelentingly exciting and is full of action in almost every scene, action you may never have seen in a film before.
Only she takes this trip after her prostitute mother and junkie stepdad are arrested, she escapes the cluthces of foster care, she says goodbye to her fiancee who is then murdered in a driveby shooting, she hitches a ride with a psycho who turns out to be a mass murderer, she kills a few people, ends up in lockup, escapes, finally makes it to Gradma's house, where some more bloody action takes place.
Oh yes, she has homosexual and heterosexual sex, spends a lot of time saying the "F" word, brutalizes most anyone that gets in her way, and otherwise creates mayhem for everybody. Sounds like your typical Reese Witherspoon role, eh? No, not by a long shot.
But one thing about her role -- she is fantastic, out of this world great. She is twice the actress in this role she was playing June Carter Cash, for which she won an Oscar as best actress. On the basis of these roles, Witherspoon must be considered one of the best actresses extant right now.
As the description here and on Amazon indicates, this movie presses the envelope of the "R" rating as far as possible without slipping over into NC-17. There is gory, bloody violence throughout this film, nudity and more "F" and "F"ing talk than you heard by Matt Damon when he played that low-class genius at Harvard. Someone told me they said "F" 147 times in that movie. Witherspoon herself must say it that many times here.
But none of this diminishes the astonishing electricity and action that swallows the viewer right from the opening scene, where junkie-hooker mom gets arrested and weirdo-junkie stepdad forces Reese to do the nasty while mom's out earning a living. There is an uncompromising level of reality in these characterization, too, although it's clearly an over the top psycho young Sutherland plays.
In an astonishing bit of casting, squeeky clean prom queen type Brooke Shields is cast as the uptight, upscale wife to lurid pervent and child molester Sutherland, whose character is even more disgusting than Witherspoon's. While everyone wants Sutherland rubbed out, Witherspoon manages to keep viewer sympathy because of for her terrible place in life even throughout her ongoing antisocial activities. Other players, incluidng Dan Hedaya as a cop with sympathies all over the place, contribute a lot to this film.
This is recommended for viewers unafraid to look inside the dark side of our culture where youngsters like the one Witherspoon plays actually exist. There is nothing pretty or orderly about this movie; much of it seems upside down. But it is unrelentingly exciting and is full of action in almost every scene, action you may never have seen in a film before.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Swampsprite
Format:DVD
This is the best modern interpretation of Little Red Riding Hood to date. What if Red Riding Hood were trailer trash taking the family jalopy to Grandma's house in order to avoid getting put in foster care? What if the wolf were a serial killer that picked up girls along the particular freeway which lead to Grandma's house?
Reese Witherspoon is Red Riding Hood, or Vanessa Lutz, as she is named in this incarnation of the Grimm girl. Her momma (Amanda Plummer) turns tricks for drug money, while her stepdaddy (Michael T. Weiss) is a child molesting addict sitting around the motel in which they live, watching TV and getting trashed. When both of her parents are arrested, quick thinking Vanessa informs the police that she has a grandmother in Stockton that will take her in so that she can avoid getting shuffled into the system. Mind you, she isn't lying, but she has no idea how grandma will feel about her arrival. So, she basically escapes the P.O. and leaves it all behind, including her boyfriend, a hood rat that happens to be black. This fine point becomes important later on, so pay attention.
Unfortunately, the road to grandma's is fraught with danger due to the "I-5 Killer", and our Red Riding outta da 'hood breaks down on the way there. She accepts the ride from the cleverly named Mr. Wolverton (Keifer Sutherland), and all hell breaks loose.
Witherspoon is convincing, hilarious, tough, and intelligent despite gross ignorance of a lot of things, including the concept of literacy. Sutherland is a very scary man, and I could never have imagined anyone else in this role. Brooke Shields plays Mrs. Wolverton, a wife in denial of her serial killer husband's double life, and she is perfectly (and surprisingly) neurotic, and memorable in her relatively small role. Look for Brittany Murphy in the girls' facility as a lesbian nympho who's done way too many drugs. There's a classic fight scene in the prison there too that left me slackjawed the first time I saw it. Heh. It was great.
A darkly hysterical take on the old fairy tale, this is not for the feint of heart or easily offended. For those who can hack it, this is probably one of the most underrated comedy-thrillers of all time. And keep in mind, that it is a /fairy tale/ should be enough to forgive a few of the plot flaws, which are not distracting enough to even get into in this review.
You will enjoy every twisted moment of this interpretation of Grimm.
Reese Witherspoon is Red Riding Hood, or Vanessa Lutz, as she is named in this incarnation of the Grimm girl. Her momma (Amanda Plummer) turns tricks for drug money, while her stepdaddy (Michael T. Weiss) is a child molesting addict sitting around the motel in which they live, watching TV and getting trashed. When both of her parents are arrested, quick thinking Vanessa informs the police that she has a grandmother in Stockton that will take her in so that she can avoid getting shuffled into the system. Mind you, she isn't lying, but she has no idea how grandma will feel about her arrival. So, she basically escapes the P.O. and leaves it all behind, including her boyfriend, a hood rat that happens to be black. This fine point becomes important later on, so pay attention.
Unfortunately, the road to grandma's is fraught with danger due to the "I-5 Killer", and our Red Riding outta da 'hood breaks down on the way there. She accepts the ride from the cleverly named Mr. Wolverton (Keifer Sutherland), and all hell breaks loose.
Witherspoon is convincing, hilarious, tough, and intelligent despite gross ignorance of a lot of things, including the concept of literacy. Sutherland is a very scary man, and I could never have imagined anyone else in this role. Brooke Shields plays Mrs. Wolverton, a wife in denial of her serial killer husband's double life, and she is perfectly (and surprisingly) neurotic, and memorable in her relatively small role. Look for Brittany Murphy in the girls' facility as a lesbian nympho who's done way too many drugs. There's a classic fight scene in the prison there too that left me slackjawed the first time I saw it. Heh. It was great.
A darkly hysterical take on the old fairy tale, this is not for the feint of heart or easily offended. For those who can hack it, this is probably one of the most underrated comedy-thrillers of all time. And keep in mind, that it is a /fairy tale/ should be enough to forgive a few of the plot flaws, which are not distracting enough to even get into in this review.
You will enjoy every twisted moment of this interpretation of Grimm.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reese at her best
Little Red Riding Hood. Watch this movie. It is dark and funny and you will be quoting it for the rest of your life.
Published 2 days ago by Anonymous
5.0 out of 5 stars
present
Got this for the hubby - have seen it several times but is a DVD that you want to keep in your collection. l It came super fast and was packed appropriately
Published 8 days ago by Carolyn L. Stockton
5.0 out of 5 stars
great and disturbing
Watch with some girlfriends who don't mind bad language and love a good revenge story. Reese is at her best and Keifer is seriously creepy.
Published 19 days ago by busy mama of 3
5.0 out of 5 stars
awesome
This is one of the funniest; white trashiest movies you'll see. It is a must see for all. I love it.
Published 20 days ago by matt grace
4.0 out of 5 stars
Freeway or the Highway!
Anothe offbeat qwerky movie. I love those kinds of movies. I also love Reese Witherspoon. This is one of those late night movies to watch when I don't have to get up early in the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by W. E. Elston
4.0 out of 5 stars
Kinda hokie but good.
The movie was kinda hokie but maybe that had something to do with how old the movie was. Make up for Keifer's injuries was really unrealistic but again maybe do to age of movie. Read more
Published 1 month ago by G8TOR.FAN
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great movie fast shipping
Excellent dark comedy, an unexpected plot to a classic story... Little red riding hood with great actors and lots of violence!
Published 1 month ago by jason
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great movie
One of the Great Movies of all time. Really love it, it's funny and horrifying at the same time. Nice to see Reese Witherspoon before Hollywood decided she was only good for glam... Read more
Published 2 months ago by alexandria redmond
4.0 out of 5 stars
Funny funny funny
It's a laugh out loud and really funny if your having a bad day and the kids not around watch this movie .
Published 2 months ago by Candice Mayfield
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Reese Witherspoon film by far..a cult masterpiece.
I can't hype this film enough. Director Matthew Bright's deranged yet uplifting horror comedy is one I've seen several times and plan on seeing again...and again. Read more
Published 2 months ago by reelprogress
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