Runaway Car (Out of Control) (1997)

36% of users liked it
(54 ratings)

If it worked for Speed, it'll work for Runaway Car--or at least, that seems to have been the philosophy behind the making of this highly derivative made-for-TV actioner. Having suffered through an unusually rotten day on the job, timid nurse Jenny Todd (Nina Siesmaszko) heads to the garage where her… More If it worked for Speed, it'll work for Runaway Car--or at least, that seems to have been the philosophy behind the making of this highly derivative made-for-TV actioner. Having suffered through an unusually rotten day on the job, timid nurse Jenny Todd (Nina Siesmaszko) heads to the garage where her 1978 Rambler Hornet is being repaired. Here she meets neurotic computer programmer Ed Lautner (Judge Reinhold), who asks her to give him a ride home. En route, Jenny picks up her baby nephew, as well as an unexpected hitchhiker: wiseguy skateboarder Dex Strang (Brian Hooks), whom Jenny may or may not have caused to suffer a nasty fall. Once the "dramatis personae" is established, the situation goes from bad to horrendous: The brakes jam, the door latches lock, the accelerator sticks at 100mph, and our wide-eyed heroine finds herself at the wheel of an out-of-control death machine, dangerously zooming through the busy city streets, barely avoiding crashes and collisions at every corner. The film's abundance of thrills, spills and impossible coincidences come to a climax of sorts when a police helicopter attempts to rescue Jenny's screaming nephew. Based (believe it or don't) on a true story, Runaway Car rolled off the Fox network TV-movie assembly line on January 21, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated,
Directed By: Jack Sholder
Genres: Action & Adventure, Television, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 21, 1997 Wide

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

Lucas M

Certainty, Runaway Car, is not one of the best television films ever made. With bad special effects this movie lost some advantage, but Runaway presents frightening scenes and a good script. Unforgettable. Fresh.

Cast

            Judge Reinhold as Ed Lauter

            Nina Siemaszko as Jenny Todd

            Elizabeth Dennehy
            
            Paul Eiding as Wally Baird

            Rick Hurst
            
            Christopher Kriesa
            
            Leon as Patrolman Isaiah 'Beau' Beaufort

            John McCann
            
            Pat Millicano
            
            Glenn Morshower as Captain Jim Louben

            Michael Potter
            
            Brian Reddy as Capt. Doug Carsten

            David Ursin
            
            Michael Ryan Way
            
            Ketty Lester
            
            Cam Brainard as Ray

            Marie Cheatham
            
            Brian Hooks as Dex

            Tia Texada
            
            E.J. Callahan
            
            Monique Edwards
            
            Alec Murdock as Doctor Mason

            Robert Tur
            
            Andrew Cooper Wasser
            
            Bo Reynolds as Les
See full cast