Switchback main backdrop
Switchback main poster

Switchback

Visit website

6.0/10 • 238

1997-10-311h 58m

ThrillerMystery

The hunter becomes the hunted.

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.

Directors
Jeb Stuart
Editors
Conrad Buff IV

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Dennis Quaid

    Dennis Quaid

    FBI Special Agent Frank LaCrosse

  2. Danny Glover

    Danny Glover

    Bob Goodall

  3. R. Lee Ermey

    R. Lee Ermey

    Sheriff Buck Olmstead

  4. Jared Leto

    Jared Leto

    Lane Dixon

  5. Ted Levine

    Ted Levine

    Deputy Nate Booker

  6. William Fichtner

    William Fichtner

    Chief Jack McGinnis

  7. Walton Goggins

    Walton Goggins

    Bud (Deputy)

  8. Kevin Cooney

    Kevin Cooney

    FBI SAC Grant Montgomery

  9. Leo Burmester

    Leo Burmester

    Clyde 'Shorty' Callahan

Reviews1

View Reviews
John Chard Avatar

John Chard

Feb 4, 2017

5/10

Cause he told the truth, and once you've heard the truth, everything else is just cheap whiskey. Switchback is written and directed by Jeb Stuart. It stars Dennis Quaid, Danny Glover, Jared Leto, R. Lee Ermey, Ted Levine and William Fitchner. Music is by Basil Poledouris and cinematography by Oliver Wood. FBI agent Frank LaCrosse (Quaid) is tracking a serial killer who he believes kidnapped his young son. Switchback is a standard serial killer based thriller that flopped at the box office. It's not a bad film but it never delivers on its potential. The location travelogue of the story is most impressive, especially the last third once we get to the snowy mountains of Colorado, but it's the scenery that grips and holds the attention more than the plot. The red herrings have interest value enough for us to stay with what is at just under two hours a long film, but resolutions are either anti climatic or too obvious. Cast are a mixed bag, with Quaid just okay as the perpetually bleak protag and Glover sadly winding out as miscast once film shows its hands. Thankfully Leto and Ermey are on hand to keep a rein on things, playing the intended thriller tone just right as per their respective characters. It's perhaps unlucky to have followed far superior/intelligent serial killer based thrillers, rendering it then and now as weak offerings. It's not the dead on stinker the box office suggests, and trimmed of 20 minutes it would have been a decent time waster, but as it is it plays out as unoriginal and lacking in directorial focus. 5/10

Media

  • Switchback poster
  • Switchback poster
  • Switchback poster
  • Switchback poster
  • Switchback poster
  • Switchback poster
  • Switchback poster
  • Switchback poster
  • Switchback poster

Recommendations

  • Men at Work main backdrop

    Men at Work

    5.7

  • Wuthering Heights main backdrop

    Wuthering Heights

    6.6

  • Stigmata main backdrop

    Stigmata

    6.3

  • Forever Young main backdrop

    Forever Young

    6.5

  • Tin Men main backdrop

    Tin Men

    6.3

  • Shock and Awe main backdrop

    Shock and Awe

    6.4

  • Matter of Trust main backdrop

    Matter of Trust

    3.5

  • Bombay Talkie main backdrop

    Bombay Talkie

    5.1

  • Beverly Hills Ninja main backdrop

    Beverly Hills Ninja

    5.6

  • Righteous Kill main backdrop

    Righteous Kill

    5.9

  • Virus: 32 main backdrop

    Virus: 32

    6.9

  • What Lies Beneath main backdrop

    What Lies Beneath

    6.4

  • Honey, I Shrunk the Kids main backdrop

    Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

    6.3

  • That Awkward Moment main backdrop

    That Awkward Moment

    6.1

  • Starship Troopers main backdrop

    Starship Troopers

    7.1

  • Star Trek Beyond main backdrop

    Star Trek Beyond

    6.8

  • There Will Be Blood main backdrop

    There Will Be Blood

    8.1

  • mother! main backdrop

    mother!

    7.0

  • Requiem for a Dream main backdrop

    Requiem for a Dream

    8.0

  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower main backdrop

    The Perks of Being a Wallflower

    7.8

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$37,000,000.00
Revenue
$6,482,195.00
Keywords
sherifftexascoloradomurderyoung boyserial killerhitchhikertrainseries of murderselectionpursuitrailroadfederal agentmurder investigationchild kidnappingmissing sonwinter stormfbi agent