Breaking Away (1979)

[Frayed Knot]

I felt this one was needed, even for a now 41 year old movie, as there seems to be a large gulf here between the 'Loved It' and the 'Never Seen It' groups



Four buddies spend their post-HS summer kicking around their hometown of Bloomington, Indiana in the economically stagnate late 1970s wondering what to do with their lives.
Not college bound themselves and resentful of what they see as rich (Univ of Indiana) college kids in their midst who deride them not as ‘Townies’ but as ‘Cutters’ for the local
(though now dying) industry of limestone quarrying and carving. One of the four recently won a spiffy Italian racing bicycle and uses that to try and turn himself into something
more exotic than just being plain old Dave from Indiana.


Jackie Earle Haley
Dennis Quaid
Dennis Christopher
Daniel Stern (first role)
Barbara Barrie
Paul Dooley

Academy Award winner for Best Original Screenplay (Steve Tesich)
Nominated: Best Picture; Best Supporting Actress (Barbara Barrie); Best Director (Peter Yates); Best Original Score


My feeling is that you should own two copies of this just in case one breaks.

[Edgy MD]

Kesich was a legit writer, with a handful of well received plays. But this was his story, having gone to Indiana and having a friend named Dave who carried his team most of the way through the Little 500.

He parlayed his Oscar into a few more films — including the adaptation of The World According to Garp — but was done by 1986 after writing a second cycling story (American Flyers).

He's a real interesting guy. He was born in Nazi-occupied Serbia, and is credited by some with coining the term "post-truth." Plus, he wrote what is quite possibly (likely?) the best sports movie ever.

[Willets Point]

The trailer makes the movie look it bit cornier than it really is, but gives a sense of the movie's greatness.

[Frayed Knot]

Kesich was a legit writer ... [who] parlayed his Oscar into a few more films — including the adaptation of The World According to Garp — but was done by 1986 after writing a second cycling story (American Flyers).

I saw part of AMERICAN FLYERS and it was ... not good, although in truth I didn't really give it a fair shake. On the other hand what I did see didn't exactly scream out: GIVE IT A FAIR SHAKE!!
I mean, a bike racer would have a tough time keeping up with his peers if trying to compete with a mild head cold, and yet there was Kevin Costner's character keeping up while actively dying!
I suppose that's a tribute to writing ... and to being Kevin Costner.


The other thing I saw exactly once was BREAKING AWAY: The TV show.
Out just a year after the picture, I actually saw the TV show first and that was only because my friend's brother scored the music to the show (mostly just three second long bursts of sound heading
into and out of commercials IIRC) and he had a few of us watch (probably the pilot) just so we could see 'Music By ____' in the credits.
JEH and Barbara Barrie recreated their roles as Moocher and Mom though no other original actors joined in. Vincent Gardenia took the role as dad Stoeller. But the real casting coup was getting
Shaun Cassidy, yes, David's baby (half) brother, to play Dave.
The show lasted eight episodes.

I can't remember when I first saw the movie but it was significantly after it was out. I don't remember even being aware of it at the time and paid zero attention to the Oscars in those days so
nominations and awards wouldn't have helped to bring it to my attention.

[Edgy MD]

And yet, it was far better than the Bad News Bears TV show with Jack Warden as Butterworth, Meeno Peluce as Tanner, and Corey Feldman as Regi.

And anyone who knows me knows I don't talk no shit about Meeno Peluce.

[RealityChuck]

Loved the movie. Still keep remembering this scene. Paul Dooley was wonderful.

[Frayed Knot]

Dooley has said that "REFUND!?!" is his version of 'Here's Looking at you Kid' or, 'I coulda been a contender', a line that he has repeated to him by everyone from cabdrivers to folks on the street.

[ashie62]

Breaking Away is one of my favorite coming of age movies. Cutters vs college kids, ever a battle

The highlight of Dennis Christopher's career

[Willets Point]

Watched this again tonight and it's still freakin' terrific.

I've never understood why they tie Dave's feet to the pedals, though.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Gets power on the up-pedal

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

We've had like 10 threads on this flick. I've remarked in the past that it's one flaw is in overburdening the villian.. its not enough that the same guy interrupts their swimming hole meetup, but he happens to be retrieving a Frisbee they run over, he's heavily involved in the bar fight, his girl happens to fall in love with Stoller and he's the main Little 500 rival. They could do a sequel on the story from his perspective and call it BROKEN AWAY

[Edgy MD]

"Hart Bochner as Rod." I give that antagonist name four Zabkas.

[Willets Point]

We've had like 10 threads on this flick. I've remarked in the past that it's one flaw is in overburdening the villian.. its not enough that the same guy interrupts their swimming hole meetup, but he happens to be retrieving a Frisbee they run over, he's heavily involved in the bar fight, his girl happens to fall in love with Stoller and he's the main Little 500 rival. They could do a sequel on the story from his perspective and call it BROKEN AWAY

I honestly didn't even realize it was the same guy.

[Willets Point]

Gets power on the up-pedal

So basically the same thing as toe clips or clipless pedals. I still feel they risked losing a lot of time to do the tying.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I never knew till just now that Hart Bochner also plays "Ellis" in DIE HARD. His character could also support a sequel

[Willets Point]

Those Italians were real assholes, though.

[Edgy MD]

Beyond the stategery, it symbolically helps reinforce his martyrdom.