Switchback | | Cast : | Danny Glover, Dennis Quaid | | Director : | Jeb Stuart | | Studio : | Paramount Studio | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | October 31, 1997 | | DVD Released Date : | May 13, 2003 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | October 14, 2004 | | Summary | A bit disjointed at first, but then . . . ! | Content
 | The film starts off by telling us two different, and seemingly unrelated stories: the investigation of a murder in a small town, which might be the most recent murder in a string committed by a serial killer; the story of a down-and-out young hitchhiker, picked by a likeable, colorful older man, who quickly manages to save the young man's life. The viewer knows, or at least hopes, the stories connect, but how? As they eventually converge, the movie's slow pace picks up steam rapidly. By the end, there is action, chases, and suspense aplenty.
Four performances stand out here. Danny Glover is spectacular as the colorful but down-to-Earth, no-nonsense man who picks up the hitchhiker. He is as smooth as silk as he flows through this role and charms everyone, despite . . . no spoilers here.
Ian Nelson (I never heard of him before now) is great as the apparently good guy/hitchhiker who seems smart but naive, moral but adrift without a compass in life, and both much more, and much less, than he should be. Does he live? No spoilers here.
Dennis Quaid reminds me of Tomnmy Lee Jones, as the intense, driven, FBI agent who hunts the serial killer, for several reasons. He is definitely good and moral, but is he legal? By the end, just as he's about to . . . no spoilers here.
R. Lee Ermey is a face I've seen many times, but a name I did not know. He portrays the small-town sheriff who must balance fighting for re-election, chasing a serial killer, bucking the FBI, and believing in Dennis Quaid despite . . . no spoilers here.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable who-dunnit/will-they-catch-him film, despite a slow and somewhat disjointed beginning. |
| Rating | | | Date | October 01, 2004 | | Summary | HEY! WHADAYA WANT ANYWAY? | Content
| There appeared to be enough mystery and strangeness to start out with.
Two fine actors - performance very good - story [predictable?] oh well.
A bit gory! but then --- what makes a movie? the back and forth suspense kept your attention. Certainly enjoyed the Sheriff - FBI appeared ineffectual - Quaid's determination to find the seriel killer was understandable - Glover's motive not quite clear but played with panauche.
Hey, it was worth seeing - definitely recommended if your not squeamish! [1997] not bad. |
| Rating | | | Date | November 09, 2003 | | Summary | GLOVER'S FILM | Content
| SWITCHBACK is a good movie. I felt it had some great suspense scenes and the climax is a different one. Director Jeb Stuart has orchestrated some beautiful snow shots, and utilizes the special effects quite well. The main problem with the movie is Dennis Quaid's performance. I have enjoyed many of Quaid's roles, particularly in "Frequency" and "Innerspace." In this one, however, his stoic, emotionless FBI agent is so wooden and lifeless that I didn't find myself sympathizing with him on the kidnapping of his child nor his quest to find the serial killer. Danny Glover, however, is superb. He demonstrates a wide range of emotions, and even though you know where his role is going to take him, it's a pleasure going along for the ride. The suspense he creates in the scene in the convenience store is acutely eeerie. Jared Leto is okay as the mysterious hitchhiker, but a little more sinister behavior could have enhanced the mystery. William Frichtner as the newly elected sheriff did a commendable job with his underwritten role. (He was also excellent in "Perfect Storm."). This is the first movie I liked R. Lee Ermey. Usually playing the redneck villian, he gets a chance to play a redneck good guy and he seems to relish the change. Ted Levine, the bad guy from "Silence of the Lambs" plays Ermey's deputy with such downhome fervor, he too emerges a winner in the casting department. Basil Polodorous' score was also effective. Not a classic, but it deserved more than it got on its initial release; just wish Quaid had been directed differently.
RECOMMENDED. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 18, 2003 | | Summary | WHITE SNOW, RED BLOOD AND GREY KILLER | Content
| Directed by Jeb Stuart, co-writer of DIE HARD and THE FUGITIVE, SWITCHBACK is a movie which deserves more than the polite silence surrounding it. It's winter in Colorado and a FBI agent is tracing a serial killer. He has to cope with his superiors who don't want him anymore to solve this case and with local sheriffs more concerned by their reelection than by the arrest of the killer. And there's a third guy in the chase who might or might be not involved in this cat and mouse game. You always believe to be a step ahead of the hunter but you soon have to admit that the director plays with your nerves. Dennis Quaid and Danny Glover are really good in this movie, playing characters of multiple dimensions. There are also a lot of suspense and riveting action. Too bad that the bonus features are not at the level of the movie. A not to be put aside DVD. |
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