Arthouse 50: Freeway

“Rude in the way the truth is rude — only funnier. The movie seduces with its humor, all the while presenting a realized vision of a harsh, absurd world.”— Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Reese Witherspoon as potty-mouthed white trash Vanessa Lutz is among her most underrated roles. In this modern take on Little Red Riding Hood, Kiefer Sutherland plays the not subtly named Bob Wolverton, a serial killer who meets his match in Vanessa, a fifteen year old on her way to her grandmother’s after her parents are both arrested. Bob picks her up hitchhiking, gains her trust and then reveals himself – but Vanessa is sharp and quick, shooting him and leaving him for dead. Trouble is, he doesn’t die, and instead she finds herself on trial. Can this bad behaving juvenile delinquent win against a well-respected school counselor? You better believe she won’t go down without a fight! Written and directed by Matthew Bright, best known as the screenwriter for FORBIDDEN ZONE, FREEWAY is impressive and often hilarious with a great support cast including Brooke Shields, Amanda Plummer and Dan Hedaya. (Cristina Cacciopo)

When no one in the industry would touch the pitch-black comedy out of Sundance, Bill Banning’s Roxie Releasing rolled the dice, with the help of Oliver Stone, and a hard-working, cheerfully-game Reese Witherspoon, sitting for interviews while breaking for a nap in the office corner. As a reward, Roxie drove her around town looking for second-hand shops.

Part of our Arthouse 50: Celebrating our 50th anniversary as an Arthouse