Tollbooth

September 02, 2025

Tollbooth

Release Date

November 1994

Directed By
Salomé Breziner

Written by
Salomé Breziner

Starring
Lenny Von Dohlen
Fairuza Balk
Will Patton
Louise Fletcher
Seymour Cassell

Trivia
Mr. Von Dohlen and Will Patton also appear in the film Cold Heaven.

Louise Fletcher and Mr. Von Dohlen also worked together on Blind Vision and Picket Fences. In his interview with Tiffany and Terry DuFoe, Mr. Von Dohlen mentioned working with Ms. Fletcher four times, but a fourth film or TV project is not listed on his IMDB page. It may be an uncredited title or play.

The Women's Own DVD release is almost 14 minutes shorter than the US Image DVD and VHS release.

Debuted at the Cannes Market in 1994.

One source states that it was shown at the Stockholm international film festival.

The film was shown at Mystfest and earned a nomination for best picture.

The film screened at the Wine County Film Festival in 1996.

On September 7th, 2019, Tollbooth was screened at the Frida Cinema in LA. Mr. Von Dohlen, Salomé Breziner and Steven Wolfe were in attendance for a Q & A that followed the film.

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Doris (Fairuza Balk) works as a gas station attendant because she hopes her father, who abandoned her as a child, will return. Her boyfriend, Jack Kiehl (Lenny Von Dohlen), works at a tollbooth but aspires to become a policeman. Jack works at the tollbooth at Doris' request. She believes their jobs will help them find her father if he returns. At her birthday dinner, Jack upsets her by dismissing her hopes. He then says, "Look, honey, I'm sorry, but you've got to understand. Since high school, I've stayed here according to our plan. You workin' at the gas station, me at the tollbooth. All so we could look for him. I mean, he might fill up. He might drive through. I mean, Jesus, Doris. Feels like my whole life I've been waitin' for a cab." Frustrated, Doris tells him, "go to Miami already and be a policeman." He replies that being a police officer will make it easier to search for her father. He'll have all the information at his fingertips. "I'm not leavin' here until he comes home," Doris insists.

Jack drives Doris back home. He questions why they can't make love. She's not a virgin, and he loves her. She says she can't until her father comes home. Doris also can't bring herself to confess her love for Jack, but he knows without having to hear her say the words.

Jack returns to the bar/restaurant to bury his sorrows in a beer, and Larry (Seymour Cassell) tells him he spoke to someone about him wanting a job as a police officer. They laughed when he said he wanted vice because that is what everyone wants. He gives him a business card. Meanwhile, Doris relives traumatic memories of her childhood with her father as she has sex with Dash Pepper (Will Patton), the couple's mutual friend.

Jack asks Larry if he'll help him find Doris's father, but Larry tells him that if he wants to be a good cop, he has to learn on his own.

The next morning, while helping Dash at his shop, Jack asks for advice about the best bait and hooks for his fishing trip with Doris. Dash remarks that he's putting a lot into the trip. Jack says Doris is his destiny, and he wants to ask her to marry him. Dash seems taken aback. He says he'll make a special "Love Lure." According to him, if they both hold the fishing rod, and the lure catches two fish, they'll be mated for life. However, if it only catches one, they have to throw it back so it can find its mate.

Jack begins his mission to find Doris’ father, Leon, and becomes entangled in death, a wrongful conviction, and more chaos. Will he find Doris’ father and his happy ending with the woman he loves?

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Streaming Availability

Tollbooth is currently not officially available on any streaming platform. The UK cut of the film is available on The Internet Archive. Tollbooth is also available on VHS, Laserdisc and DVD.

The Trailer