Breaking Away [DVD]

This is a review of the 2010 Region 2 DVD from Second Sight. It is a pretty basic product, which nevertheless provides a really good print of this wonderful film.If you were looking for a man to provide a nuanced, sensitive and heartfelt insight into working class Middle America, Peter Yates seems a pretty unlikely candidate. Born in Aldershot, the son of a British Army officer, educated at that most elite of British public schools, Charterhouse, and then at RADA, he also worked for two years as racing driver Stirling Moss’s racing manager. But he then went on to work in British cinema, with such leading directors as Tony Richardson. He directed episodes of highly regarded TV show ‘The Saint’, then graduated to film. In Hollywood, he directed Steve McQueen’s classic car chase in ‘Bullitt’(1968), and a bleak gangster movie ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’(1973), before he arrived in Bloomington, Indiana, to make ‘Breaking Away’ in summer 1978.This was not an obvious box office winner: to film it, Yates traded on his previous significant commercial success, with ‘The Deep’(1977). The story follows 4 working class boys, sons of former quarry workers (‘Cutters’) in the town’s limestone quarries, who are just leaving school, with limited prospects. This is a town where older industries are shrinking, but where the big handsome University campus (built from local limestone), full of wealthy students from other parts of the US, now dominates life. Elite students there belittle and exclude the locals, and locals resent the students.Dennis Christopher stars as Dave, the brightest of the four, a mad-keen bicyclist, who has fallen in love with all things Italian as a consequence. He gives a performance of rare sensitivity and subtlety, and considerable physical prowess on his racing bike: he later also starred as Olympic champion Charley Paddock in ‘Chariots of Fire’. This was also the first major role for Dennis Quaid, as Mike, the angriest of the four. His resentment is constantly close to boiling over. Comedian and actor Paul Dooley is wonderful as Dave’s father, a hard-working family man, bemused and frustrated by his son. Barbara Barrie won an OSCAR nomination as his wife Evelyn, apparently ditzy, but actually sharp as a tack as she loves, protects ~ and understands ~ her menfolk.Whilst the action set pieces are elegantly and realistically filmed, and the musical soundtrack of largely classical music is to die for, this is a film about people, their relationships, their feelings. But there is nothing cute or cloying here. The OSCAR-winning script is witty, insightful and convincing, the characters are funny, fallible and very human. There is a freshness and lack of pretension, an honesty that draws you in and makes you love Dave, his friends and family, and hope they will succeed. Yates didn’t win the best film and best director OSCARs ~ ‘Kramer v Kramer’ swept the board ~ but this is a fabulous film, to really savour.

Funny, coming of age sport movoe. Great film for both fans and non-fans of cycling.The cycling is intentionally unrealistic and even silly at times, yet it captures the spirit of the sport perfectly. Who wouldn't want to draft a truck?Bellissimo!

I've had an interest in cycling for quite some time now and was aware that 'Breaking Away' and 'American Flyers' were the only two mainstream cycling films out there, well to my knowledge anyway. I've seen 'American Flyers' a few times now (and enjoyed it too) but 'Breaking Away' had always eluded me until now. Well, it wasn't quite what I was expecting but in many ways it delivered more than I was expecting. First, if you're not a fan of cycling, don't worry as the cycling is actually a very small part of the plot. It's more of a 'coming of age' movie slightly reminiscent of 'Stand by me'. All in all, it was a really nice movie and one you can watch in a relaxed family environment without fear of offence. The DVD sound and vision quality is perfectly fine for a film dating from 1979 and it was fair value. Recommended.

An almost perfect film in my opinion. The story centres on a cycle race at a US University, and the efforts of our hero (a townie) and his chums to win it and the girl (a student) to boot. Lots of laugh out loud moments in a non-gross American Pie sort of a way, a witty script, great characterisation and lots of cycling, too - though it pains me to watch the finale taking place on a cinder running track - couldn't they have found a velodrome somewhere?

I remember seeing part of this film when I was a young teenager and loving it. I looked for it in listings for years afterwards waiting to video it but was never able to find it. Now, 30 years on, I remembered back and did a search for it on Amazon. I was a little worried that my memories of the film would be selective and that it wouldn't have aged well; maybe best to leave it alone. Well I went ahead and ordered it anyway, partly due to the positive reviews here, and have just finished watching it. I should not have worried, this film is a true classic. I am not a great reviewer, so I will leave that to the others on here that have already written great reviews, but I will say that this is film is a testement to a time when film makers could create great films without the use of sex scenes, gratuitous violence or any special effects whatsoever. This ability seems all but lost nowadays.A true feel good film.

Really lovely film, spoilt only by the poor digital transfer - it was quite fuzzy and a long way from HD. Also, no subtitles, a shame because the dialogue was also a bit fuzzy. Given that the film was made in 1979, the quality should be better. But very well worth seeing.

This is the story of 4 kids in America leaving school and trying to decide what to do with their lives.Dave in particular is obsessed with Italian cycling.He later becomes disillusioned with Italy but not with cycling.Unusually for a cycling film it has a good story and acting.It's interesting all the way through and has a feel good factor.It is one of the best cycling films ever and is up there with-A boy,a girl and a bike (Diana Dors)Un jour de fete (Tati)Les bicyclettes de Belsize (Judy Huxtable)Belle ville rendezvous

This is such a sweet movie and made before Hollywood started churning out dross in its bucketloads. A cheerful film about growing up, with a great soundtrack and early appearances of some future stars. A thoroughly enjoyable, family movie.