Freeway

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1:23

Freeway

R

Released Aug 23, 1996

1h 42m

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Following the arrest of her mother, Ramona (Amanda Plummer), young Vanessa Lutz (Reese Witherspoon) decides to go in search of her estranged grandmother. On the way, she is given a ride by school counselor Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland). During the journey, Lutz begins to realize that Bob is the notorious I-5 Killer and manages to escape by shooting him several times. Wounded but still very much alive, Bob pursues Lutz across the state in this modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.

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Critics Consensus

A modern update on the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, Freeway is an audacious black comedy with a star-making performance from the young Reese Witherspoon.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Not for the faint hearted but should have been much bigger than it was.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 10, 2020

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Joe Leydon

Variety

"Freeway" is a thoroughly nasty piece of work, the product of a filmmaker with a ludicrously misplaced confidence in his own cleverness.

Mar 26, 2009

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Time Out

There's not much edification in store, and [director] Bright cruises over some bumpy plot holes, but the teen's perspective does put a black comic spotlight on wider social hypocrisies.

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

A black comedy exploitation film with far more social commentary than expected. Sutherland and Witherspoon are magnetic and you wish they would interact more.

Rated: 3.5/5

Mar 7, 2021

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

Matthew Bright's Freeway is an intentionally offensive and hilarious update of Little Red Riding Hood with a tour de force performance from a pre-fame Reese Witherspoon.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 1, 2021

Full Review

Ren Jender

Bitch Flicks

Freeway is far from a perfect film but well worth seeing, even for those who don't count themselves as fans of Witherspoon.

Mar 13, 2019

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Stoner J

Pretty sweet low budget dark comedy thriller. Sutherland and Witherspoon do great work in this

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/16/25

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Jack R

I noticed her mom calls her “Pooh-bear!” I have a theory this is the same universe as Legally Blonde. Vanessa gets adopted by a rich Beverly Hills family and changes her name to protect herself! Then goes to law school because people like her real mom are locked in jail.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

Full Review

hayley b

Really surprised this did so well on the ratings. It’s very cliche and cheesy with some unrealistic scenarios and kinda poor acting. However, I have to admit it’s certainly worth a watch and I actually managed to enjoy it. It has a good plot in my opinion and has you really rooting for the main character

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/07/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Now, THAT'S a movie! wow!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/07/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Obviously one of the best films ever made

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/29/24

Full Review

Farah R

Peculiar, exaggerated, and overacted, Freeway weirdly executes its innovative take on the famous Little Red Riding Hood tale.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/23/24

Full Review

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Matthew Bright

Director

Kiefer Sutherland

Bob Wolverton

Reese Witherspoon

Vanessa Lutz

Brooke Shields

Mimi Wolverton

Wolfgang Bodison

Detective Mike Breer

Dan Hedaya

Detective Garnet Wallace

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61%

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Freeway: Trailer 1

1:23

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Synopsis

Following the arrest of her mother, Ramona (Amanda Plummer), young Vanessa Lutz (Reese Witherspoon) decides to go in search of her estranged grandmother. On the way, she is given a ride by school counselor Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland). During the journey, Lutz begins to realize that Bob is the notorious I-5 Killer and manages to escape by shooting him several times. Wounded but still very much alive, Bob pursues Lutz across the state in this modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.

Director: Matthew Bright
Producer: Chris Hanley, Brad Wyman
Screenwriter: Matthew Bright
Distributor: Roxie Releasing, Republic Pictures
Production Co: Illusion Entertainment, Muse Productions, Kushner-Locke Company, August Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 23, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $283.8K
Runtime: 1h 42m

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