Freeway (1996)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Bethany M

  
  It's hard not to love Reese Witherspoon in anything. This film was mad, crazy, over the top and at times quite hilarious. It's a great modern version of 'Little Red Riding Hood' and even though the ending is predictable, you can't help but like it and you end… More
  It's hard not to love Reese Witherspoon in anything. This film was mad, crazy, over the top and at times quite hilarious. It's a great modern version of 'Little Red Riding Hood' and even though the ending is predictable, you can't help but like it and you end up rooting for little old Vanessa despite her troubled mind. Even more so because a girl with such a tiny frame was beating up men and genuinelly making them terrified of her. Some scenes shock you and most scenes are unpredicable apart from it's ending. It's a weird yet wonderful film.

• Cassandra M

  
  Based on the classic Grimm Brothers tale, Little Red Riding Hood; Freeway is the disjointed and frankly weird odyssey following a young girl on the way to her grandmother's home. The film begins much like any other hitchhiking film, with a young girl being picked up by a slightly… More
  Based on the classic Grimm Brothers tale, Little Red Riding Hood; Freeway is the disjointed and frankly weird odyssey following a young girl on the way to her grandmother's home. The film begins much like any other hitchhiking film, with a young girl being picked up by a slightly sinister driver. However, you won't be able to predict where it's going to go from there, as Freeway continually puts its characters in absurd situations and delivers the unexpected. The plot doesn't exactly adhere to the story of Little Red Riding Hood, and after the basics have been laid down, it's basically anyone's game right down to the gripping and hilarious climax. The film sees Reese Witherspoon's juvenile delinquent being picked up by Kiefer Sutherland's child psychologist after fleeing from her home when her mother and step father are arrested. After telling the psychologist of her relationship with her step father, she soon realises that he's enjoying what she's saying a little too much; and it's not long before she asks him if he's the infamous I-5 killer, and he doesn't do anything to convince her he's not... Freeway doesn't introduce any characters that are particularly likable, and all are guilty to a degree. Most audience members will be on the side of Witherspoon's character, as although she certainly has personality problems, she's great fun to watch and her twisted logic isn't usually far from being spot on! Witherspoon got one of her best roles in this film, and really does carry it despite her young age. Kiefer Sutherland stars alongside her, and it's rather odd seeing him in the psycho role after getting so used to him being Jack Bauer in 24. He does do it great, however. Perhaps the best thing about this film is the pitch black humour that goes hand in hand brilliantly with the absurdity of the piece. The plot is really freewheeling, and the film jumps from road thriller to prison drama to the court room in the blink of an eye, and this helps to ensure that the audience is always kept on their toes. This film won't appeal to people that don't like their movies to be pitch black and unpleasant, but anyone who enjoys a good does of absurdity shouldn't hesitate to track this film down!

• Nani V

  
  I found the movie to be hilarious in so many ways. There were some cheesy parts, but I think that's how they were meant to be...For example, Reese Witherspoon is super tiny, but she was "beating" up these people. Those scenes were also funny to watch. Kiefer… More
  I found the movie to be hilarious in so many ways. There were some cheesy parts, but I think that's how they were meant to be...For example, Reese Witherspoon is super tiny, but she was "beating" up these people. Those scenes were also funny to watch. Kiefer Sutherland's character was funny as well. The after effects of what happened to him was pretty damn funny, Reese kept laughing at him in the court room. HAHA! Reese plays 15 year old Vanessa Glutz, whose mother gets arrested for prostitution and other charges as well as her step father. She decides she wants to go stay with her grandmother in northern California and steals her probation officer's car. It eventually dies on the freeway and Keifer's characther, Bob something stops to help and eventually gives her a ride and that's how it all starts. It also has a young Brittany Murphy and Brooke Shields in here also.

• Chris W

  
  A very sick and twisted darkly comedic take on 'Little Red Riding Hood', but done with style and an obvious placement of tongue in cheek. The film gets under one's skin, but, due to the high quality of the acting (all around, but especially from Witherspoon and… More
  A very sick and twisted darkly comedic take on 'Little Red Riding Hood', but done with style and an obvious placement of tongue in cheek. The film gets under one's skin, but, due to the high quality of the acting (all around, but especially from Witherspoon and Sutherland), anything off-putting can be seen (by the open-minded/unoffended) as disguised satire, and that's also a good thing. As a nice little bonus, this film features (as Intolerable Cruelty would almost a decade later) a really cool animated opening titles sequence. If one is in the right mood, the nFreeway will not disappoint.

• Curtis L

  
  Wow. What a messed up movie, but in all the good ways. Sutherland's drool face is priceless, and I actually liked Reese Witherspoon for one of the first times in my life. "Do you want me to shoot you a whole bunch of times?"

• Mark H

  
  Uncomfortable, funny and dark update of little red riding hood is highlighted by a stellar performance by Reese Witherspoon.

• Luke B

  
  For a simple TV movie this is very effective and entertaining. A simple update of Red Riding Hood, only making it much more twisted. Kiefer Sutherland is fantastic as the big bad wold/serial killer and Reese is nice and feisty as a bitchy Red. Always seems like a TV movie, but at… More
  For a simple TV movie this is very effective and entertaining. A simple update of Red Riding Hood, only making it much more twisted. Kiefer Sutherland is fantastic as the big bad wold/serial killer and Reese is nice and feisty as a bitchy Red. Always seems like a TV movie, but at least it seems like a damn good one.

• Beth M

  
  Very, very, very, very weird. But so funny at the same time. Reese Witherspoon and Kiefer Sutherland were the perfect crime partners and without them, the film wouldn't of been good. Nothing was predictable and the craziness of it made it even better. It takes you on one wild… More
  Very, very, very, very weird. But so funny at the same time. Reese Witherspoon and Kiefer Sutherland were the perfect crime partners and without them, the film wouldn't of been good. Nothing was predictable and the craziness of it made it even better. It takes you on one wild ride that will you keep you on the edge of your seat. Two words to describe the whole of the film and that is utter madness.

• Alec B

  
  A great twist of both the serial killer genre and the tale of little red riding hood. Reese Witherspoon did her best work when she was younger and this film along with Election is a testament to that. Her performance is comedic and terrifying at the same time. You gotta love Kiefer… More
  A great twist of both the serial killer genre and the tale of little red riding hood. Reese Witherspoon did her best work when she was younger and this film along with Election is a testament to that. Her performance is comedic and terrifying at the same time. You gotta love Kiefer Sutherland in this too who as the villian spends more time getting the shit kicked out of him than actually being terrifying. The film isn't meant to be realistic and don't view it as such, its an over the top exploitation film with just the right amount of satire.

• ashley h

  
  Ok,this is movis is sort of funny and sort of not, which is what makes it interesting. Its definitely campy and Witherspoon is a little too good at being trailer trash. I can also attest that her accent is accurate, as I hear it on a semi-daily basis. One can understand why she is the… More
  Ok,this is movis is sort of funny and sort of not, which is what makes it interesting. Its definitely campy and Witherspoon is a little too good at being trailer trash. I can also attest that her accent is accurate, as I hear it on a semi-daily basis. One can understand why she is the way she is, although the story needed some serious polishing and sometimes I felt it was gratuitous for the heck of it. The entire Brittany Murphy character could have been cut out for instance. Its campy and interesting. I would have liked to see it more polished, better dialogue, and a little more concise plot.

• William G

  
  Seriously screwy, yet constantly compelling.

• Adam M

  
  This one takes an old fairytale and shakes it up,fucks it up,eats it then throws the results up right in front of you! The fairytale in question is Little Red Riding Hood. Resse Weatherspoon is the teenage delinquent on the run from a social worker when she accepts a lift from a… More
  This one takes an old fairytale and shakes it up,fucks it up,eats it then throws the results up right in front of you! The fairytale in question is Little Red Riding Hood. Resse Weatherspoon is the teenage delinquent on the run from a social worker when she accepts a lift from a respected psychologist type(Kiefer Sutherland) who turns out to be a serial killer. After escaping from his clutches after nearly killing him, shes on the run from pretty much everyone. Weatherspoons character is such a mouthy bitch that its hard to like her but then this is the classic faiytale turned totally on his head! I think the point isn't about liking characters and analysing to much but just sitting back and watching. Its pretty brutal at times, with referances to the tale its loosely based on and Sutherland and Weatherspoon throw themselves into their roles which is cool. Not always easy going but worth a watch.

• Sean L

  
  This is a very clever, and at times, very tense thriller. It also could be seen as a dark comedy, and I think it works on both levels. I really liked the idea behind the movie and the performers were all top notch. 45 minutes into this movie, I had no idea where it was going, and… More
  This is a very clever, and at times, very tense thriller. It also could be seen as a dark comedy, and I think it works on both levels. I really liked the idea behind the movie and the performers were all top notch. 45 minutes into this movie, I had no idea where it was going, and it played out just fine. Kiefer Sutherland is creepy as hell, and he can turn from nice to nasty in a millisecond. This is fine artsploitation.

• Jim W

  
  Reese Witherspoon stars as a teen off to see her grandma. Her car breaks down and a man offers to give her a ride. He's a sleaze ball disguised as a nice guy and is well played by Kiefer Sutherland. When he shows his true colors, Witherwpoon shoots him more than once. I… More
  Reese Witherspoon stars as a teen off to see her grandma. Her car breaks down and a man offers to give her a ride. He's a sleaze ball disguised as a nice guy and is well played by Kiefer Sutherland. When he shows his true colors, Witherwpoon shoots him more than once. I should mention that Freeway is a twisted violent "Little Red Riding Hood" type of tale. Sutherland is obviously the Big Bad Wolf. Witherspoon is obviously Little Red but I was more scared of her lol. She has a bad temper and can handle herself fine. So, I never felt as if her life was in danger. Still, Witherspoon owns the movie. Sutherland was creepy but Reese Witherspoon is what makes the movie worth seeing. She's great as a troubled teen who takes crap from no one after her step-dad abused her. She's also a little nuts. The court scenes are hilarious. I love when she first sees Sutherland's deformed face in court and just cracks up laughing.

• Lee K

  
  I loved this movie that is kinda a dark comedy if you will with a weird spin on the little red riding hood fable. Both witherspoon and sutherland were superb in this.

• Barry L

  
  Genuinly good film

• Eduardo C

  
  Confident post-modern (or perhaps I should say post-Tarantino) retelling of the Little Red Riding-Hood fairytale as the perverse relationship between a serial killer and a child prostitute. Yes, the film is as deranged as it sounds, but also much better than you have any reason to… More
  Confident post-modern (or perhaps I should say post-Tarantino) retelling of the Little Red Riding-Hood fairytale as the perverse relationship between a serial killer and a child prostitute. Yes, the film is as deranged as it sounds, but also much better than you have any reason to expect it to be. Kiefer Sutherland and Reese Witherspoon are terrific in their respective roles, and the film, alternately satiric and hillarifying, is surprisingly empathic as well.

Read all 17 featured audience ratings