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Breaking Away streaming

1979 Movie United States Drama, Sport, Comedy 100 min Ages 12+
By: Peter Yates With: Dennis Quaid, Bart A. Reed, David K. Blase, Hart Bochner, J.F. Brière

Best friends Dave, Mike, Cyril and Moocher have just graduated from high school. Living in the college town of Bloomington, Indiana, they are considered "cutters": the working class of the town so named since most of the middle aged generation, such as their parents, worked at the local limestone quarry, which is now a swimming hole. There is great animosity between the cutters and the generally wealthy Indiana University students, each group who have their own turf in town. The dichotomy is that the limestone was used to build the university, which is now seen as being too good for the locals who built it. Although each of the four is a totally different personality from the other three, they also have in common the fact of being unfocused and unmotivated in life. The one slight exception is Dave. Although he has no job and doesn't know what to do with his life, he is a champion bicycle racer. He idolizes the Italian cycling team so much he pretends to be Italian, much to the chagrin of his parents, especially his used car salesman father, Ray Stoller, who just doesn't understand his son. Dave crosses the unofficial line when he meets and wants to date a IU co-ed named Katherine Bennett, who, intrigued by Dave, in turn is already dating Rod, one of the big men on campus. Dave passes himself off to her as an Italian exchange student named Enrico Gismondi. Beyond Katarina as he calls her, Dave's main immediate focus is that the Italian cycling team have announced that they will be in Indianapolis for an upcoming race, which he intends to enter to be able to race his idols. After an incident at the race, Dave, with a little help from his parents and unwittingly by actions of his friends, has to reexamine his life, what he really wants to get out of it and how best to start achieving it.

Filmium rating
77%

Mood

Inspiring
Lighthearted
Nostalgic

Cast & Crew

Peter Yates
Steve Tesich
Hart Bochner
Jennifer K. Mickel
Tom Ohmer
Nora Owens
Robyn Douglass
J.F. Brière
Eddy Van Guyse
David K. Blase
Daniel Stern
John Ashton
Howard S. Wilcox
Jennifer F. Nolan
Gregg Forrest
Carlos Sintes
Jackie Earle Haley
Alvin E. Bailey
William S. Armstrong
Peter Maloney
Paul Dooley
Mike Silveus
Tom Schwoegler
Robert Woolery
John Vande Velde
Floyd E. Todd
Gail L. Horton
Harold Elgar
Morris Salzman
Bill Ringgenberg
P. J. Soles
Douglas Rafferty
Dennis Quaid
John W. Ryan
Bart A. Reed
Dan Levinson
Jimmy Grant
Russell E. Freeman
Dennis Christopher
Amy Wright
Woody Hueston
Lisa Shure
Barbara Barrie

Adaptation

Original Screenplay

Budget

Mid-Budget

Cinematic Technique

Location Filming
Period Authenticity

Narrative Structure

Coming-Of-Age
Linear

Pace

Character-Driven
Moderate Pace

Soundtrack

Italian Music
Period Soundtrack

Style

Cinematic
Classic
Realistic

Time-Period

1970S

Central Conflict

Personal Growth
Social Class Divide
Sports Competition

Characters

Cyclists
Teenagers
Working-Class

Ending

Bittersweet
Inspirational
Triumphant

Historical Context

1970S America

Key Plot Points

Little 500 Race
Race Victory
Rivalry With Fraternity

Plot

Bicycle Racing
Coming-Of-Age
Small-Town Life

Setting

Bloomington Indiana
Limestone Quarry
University Town

Shooting Location

Bloomington
Rooftop Quarry

Theme

Class Struggle
Friendship
Personal Growth

Genre

Comedy
Drama
Sports

Audiences

Family
Sports Fans
Teenagers

Titles

Breaking Away

Awards

Academy Award For Best Original Screenplay
Golden Globe For Best Film

Box Office Success

$20 Million

Critical Reception

High Critic Scores
Positive Reviews

Popularity

Afi Top 100
Cultural Impact

Ratings

95% Approval
Eight Point Two Out Of Ten

Reception

Award-Winning
Critically Acclaimed
Inspiring

Production Countries

United States

Release Year

1979
mowizz ID: 31a02302-9164-4ac4-997e-a6e12fc941d7
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