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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Cross Country Cruise remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you love those vintage movies where a dozen strangers get stuck in a confined space, you’ll probably find something to enjoy here. If you hate feeling like you're stuck in a waiting room for an hour, skip this one. It's a bit of a slog, honestly.
The whole thing is basically a bus ride that just keeps going. You’ve got the usual mix of characters—the nervous type, the loud one, and of course, the killer hiding in plain sight. It reminds me a bit of the vibe in The Man Hunt, though way less focused.
The pacing is… well, it’s a bus. Sometimes it moves fast, and sometimes it just idles at a stop for way too long. There’s a scene about halfway through where two characters just won't stop talking about their luggage, and I genuinely checked to see if my own watch had stopped. It hadn't.
Walter Brennan is in this, which is always a treat. He’s got that way of looking like he’s been awake for three days straight even when he’s just sitting there. He makes the bus feel a little more lived-in, at least.
There is this one moment where a passenger gets suspicious, and the camera just stays on their face for a bit too long. It’s almost funny how obvious they’re trying to be about the tension. It’s not exactly Tea for Three in terms of sharp dialogue, but it’s got enough grit to keep you watching if you’ve got nothing better to do.
Honestly? It’s a B-movie through and through. It feels like someone took a bunch of character sketches and shoved them into a bus because they didn't have the budget for a better set. It’s not great art, but it’s a weirdly specific slice of 1934. You can practically smell the stale coffee and exhaust fumes. 🚌💨