Breakdown Page #2

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.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Production: Paramount Pictures
  1 win & 2 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.9
Metacritic:
73
Rotten Tomatoes:
80%
R
Year:
1997
93 min
1,199 Views


Amy lies in bed, curled up against a pillow. The sheets

are tangled in post-coital disarray, the only sign of

disorder in this neatly arranged room.

6.

CLOSER:

Amy stirs, reaching her hand out toward the other side of

the bed, which is empty. She opens her eyes, surprised

to find herself alone.

AMY:

Jeff?

No reply.

Something catches her attention from across the room.

She rises, pulls a loose robe around herself and pads

over to a closed door. She knocks softly.

AMY:

Can I come in?

JEFF (O.S.)

Sure.

INT. DARKROOM -NIGHT

A walk-in closet has been converted into a small

photographic darkroom. Moist8X10 prints hang from a

clothesline, bathed in a warm red glow. The images are

moody black and white landscapes.

Jeff stands over the developer, timing a print. Amy

enters through a thick black curtain behind him. He

doesn’t look up.

AMY:

Couldn’t sleep?

Jeff shakes his head. Amy looks over his shoulder at a

landscape photograph in the developing tray.

AMY:

I remember when you took that. We

had fun on that trip, didn’t we?

Jeff nods. Amy looks at him. After a beat:

AMY:

You want to talk about it?

JEFF:

There’s nothing to talk about.

AMY:

C’mon, Jeff.

(CONTINUED)

7.

CONTINUED:

JEFF:

I told you. I quit. Walked out.

end of story.

AMY:

That’s it?

Jeff nods.

AMY:

Whatever happened back there

wasn’t your responsibility. You

can’t keep beating yourself up

over it.

He says nothing.

AMY:

What do you think? You could have

stopped that girl from getting

killed?

JEFF:

You don’t understand...

He stops, lifts his eyes.

JEFF:

It was different this time.

He breaks off and pushes through the curtain. She

watches him go.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM -KITCHEN AREA -NIGHT

Jeff pours himself a glass of milk. Amy enters, stands

on the other side of the counter. Jeff doesn’t meet her

eyes. After a beat:

JEFF:

I talked to Reynolds.

(a beat)

He thinks I could still get the

job at the San Diego station.

AMY:

Oh, Jeff, you didn’t...

(CONTINUED)

8.

CONTINUED:

JEFF:

Think of it. Low pressure, a

steady paycheck. So I shoot city

council meetings --how bad could

it be?

She looks at him, concerned.

AMY:

Is that what you really want --or

are you just running away?

JEFF:

Who’s running? It’s good money,

full benefits. I’m tired of

freelance. We could finally put

some money in the bank.

AMY:

You know I’ll never stand in your

way. But you’ve worked so hard.

Are you sure you want to throw it

away?

JEFF:

Throw what away? Don’t you get

it? I don’tdo anything. I sit,

I watch, I film --I let it

happen.

AMY:

You’re supposed to let it happen.

It’s your job.

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Jonathan Mostow

Jonathan Mostow (born November 28, 1961) is an American film and television director, writer and producer. more…

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Submitted by aviv on October 31, 2016

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