David O'ConnellBreaking Away
November 14th 2008 02:34
This amiable Oscar-winning 1979 comedy-drama, directed by Peter Yates (best known for Steve McQueen’s Bullitt a decade earlier), has the crucial winning edge of a huge heart beating beneath its free-spirited humour and subtle social commentary.
Set in Bloomington, Indiana, Breaking Away focuses on a quartet of likeable ‘losers’, college age young men who are without any real direction in their lives.
Dennis Christopher as Dave Stoller - and his parents, played by Paul Dooley and Barbara Barrie - receives the lion's share of attention. Dave is a cycling enthusiast, obsessed with the currently dominant Italian riders, and his obsession absorbs every other aspect of his life; he listens to Italian operas, constantly spouts Italian phrases at home, even renaming the cat Fellini! All of this drives his confounded father to distraction, ready to rip shreds off his “lazy freeloader” of a son.
His trio of friends are Mike (Dennis Quaid), a muscle-bound jock and former high school quarterback who’s now a faded star and resentful of missed opportunities; Cyril (Daniel Stern), their 'class' clown and joker, and Moocher (Jackie Earl Haley), a skinny runt and ugly duckling of the group.
They’re constantly derided by the more privileged Indiana University crowd, collectively referred to as Cutters (a demeaning reference to their fathers’ former profession as stone-cutters), which they wear, however, as a kind of badge of honour.
They’ve all resigned from a menial job they shared and have no grand plan other than to “waste the rest of their lives together.” Purpose however soon arrives in the form of an upcoming team bike race in which they dream of outgunning the obnoxious, arrogant college kids.
Before that, another race featuring the visiting Cinzano team from Italy, provides a valuable lesson for Dave, in which his idealized views are shattered by their lack of fair play, and a painful admission that “everybody cheats.” The principle is equally applicable to Dave too in the misleading manner in which he’s attempted to woo a pretty college girl, Katherine (Robyn Douglass) under the false pretense of being an Italian exchange student.
Harsh lessons are learnt and the film countdowns to the final, nail-biting ride which becomes a metaphor for their lives: an attempted uprising and show of fortitude from the downtrodden Cutters.
The original screenplay by Steve Tesich rightfully won an Oscar for its detailed, humane and often very funny observations of these young men’s lives. His characters are all thoroughly likeable, each with individual quirks which make them endearing in ways, including Dave’s dad who is hilarious when venting his consternation about the peculiar ways of his son which he finds incomprehensible.
The film is a fascinating early insight into the careers of budding stars Quaid and Stern, as well as Christopher who would soon progress to Chariots of Fire, and Haley, who recently received an Oscar nomination for his convincing, creepy portrayal of a tortured pedophile in Little Children.
Breaking Away is a wonderful discovery, a feel-good comedy which morphs into a sporting film of sorts ultimately and even if the ending seems assured, it doesn’t lessen the smile on your face when it finally arrives.
P.S. My girlfriend was the one who brought this film to my attention – in fact I’d never even heard of it until she regaled me (in disturbing depth at first!!haha!) with her stories of how deeply embedded its storyline, and almost every line of dialogue, became in her head upon discovering it in the early 80’s. She says she watched it about 8 times in one weekend - so be ready for the possibly addictive need to re-watch this gem again and again if you can get your hands on it! I can honestly say that I’m now a convert (unlike after my first exposure to it!) – and can declare it a winner!!
Set in Bloomington, Indiana, Breaking Away focuses on a quartet of likeable ‘losers’, college age young men who are without any real direction in their lives.
Dennis Christopher as Dave Stoller - and his parents, played by Paul Dooley and Barbara Barrie - receives the lion's share of attention. Dave is a cycling enthusiast, obsessed with the currently dominant Italian riders, and his obsession absorbs every other aspect of his life; he listens to Italian operas, constantly spouts Italian phrases at home, even renaming the cat Fellini! All of this drives his confounded father to distraction, ready to rip shreds off his “lazy freeloader” of a son.
Dave (Dennis Christopher) brushes up on his Italian.
His trio of friends are Mike (Dennis Quaid), a muscle-bound jock and former high school quarterback who’s now a faded star and resentful of missed opportunities; Cyril (Daniel Stern), their 'class' clown and joker, and Moocher (Jackie Earl Haley), a skinny runt and ugly duckling of the group.
They’re constantly derided by the more privileged Indiana University crowd, collectively referred to as Cutters (a demeaning reference to their fathers’ former profession as stone-cutters), which they wear, however, as a kind of badge of honour.
The gang's all here: Mooch (Jackie Earl Haley), Mike (Dennis Quaid), Cyril (Daniel Stern), and Dave (Dennis Christopher)
They’ve all resigned from a menial job they shared and have no grand plan other than to “waste the rest of their lives together.” Purpose however soon arrives in the form of an upcoming team bike race in which they dream of outgunning the obnoxious, arrogant college kids.
Before that, another race featuring the visiting Cinzano team from Italy, provides a valuable lesson for Dave, in which his idealized views are shattered by their lack of fair play, and a painful admission that “everybody cheats.” The principle is equally applicable to Dave too in the misleading manner in which he’s attempted to woo a pretty college girl, Katherine (Robyn Douglass) under the false pretense of being an Italian exchange student.
A young Dennis Quaid as Mike
Harsh lessons are learnt and the film countdowns to the final, nail-biting ride which becomes a metaphor for their lives: an attempted uprising and show of fortitude from the downtrodden Cutters.
The original screenplay by Steve Tesich rightfully won an Oscar for its detailed, humane and often very funny observations of these young men’s lives. His characters are all thoroughly likeable, each with individual quirks which make them endearing in ways, including Dave’s dad who is hilarious when venting his consternation about the peculiar ways of his son which he finds incomprehensible.
The film is a fascinating early insight into the careers of budding stars Quaid and Stern, as well as Christopher who would soon progress to Chariots of Fire, and Haley, who recently received an Oscar nomination for his convincing, creepy portrayal of a tortured pedophile in Little Children.
Breaking Away is a wonderful discovery, a feel-good comedy which morphs into a sporting film of sorts ultimately and even if the ending seems assured, it doesn’t lessen the smile on your face when it finally arrives.
An exhilerating fight-to-the-death in the final race!
P.S. My girlfriend was the one who brought this film to my attention – in fact I’d never even heard of it until she regaled me (in disturbing depth at first!!haha!) with her stories of how deeply embedded its storyline, and almost every line of dialogue, became in her head upon discovering it in the early 80’s. She says she watched it about 8 times in one weekend - so be ready for the possibly addictive need to re-watch this gem again and again if you can get your hands on it! I can honestly say that I’m now a convert (unlike after my first exposure to it!) – and can declare it a winner!!
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