Movie Info
Movie Name: Breaking Away
Studio: Movie Studio
Genre(s): Movie Genre
Release Date(s): Movie Release Date
MPAA Rating: Movie Rating
Just laying out in a quarry in the Indiana sun
Dave Stoller (Dennis Christopher) has a dream. He’s Italian and lives far from his Bloomington, Indiana home. Unfortunately for Dave, he’s a “Cutter”. His father (Paul Dooley) and the fathers of his friends Mike (Dennis Quaid), Cyril (Daniel Stern), and Moocher (Jackie Earle Haley) made their living as a stonecutters in the limestone quarries surrounding Bloomington, and the students at Indiana University look down on the townie “Cutters”. Dave loves to ride bicycles and wishes to ride like the Italians he emulates much to the distain of his father but the amusement of his mother (Barbara Barrie). When Dave and his friends get the opportunity to compete in I.U.’s Little 500…and the chance for the Cutters to prove themselves is close.
Directed by Peter Yates, Breaking Away is a comedy-drama set based around the Little 500 bicycle race at Indiana University. The movie was released to critical acclaim and became a cult classic. The movie won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Barrie), and Best Original Score.
Growing up in Indiana, it feels weird watching Breaking Away. Shot entirely in Bloomington, the town (despite the years passing) still looks relatively like it did in the movie. It is a weird success story and the setting is part of the heart of the movie.
It’s the Italians!!!
The story for Breaking Away is kind of all over the place. It is a coming of age story (of teens becoming adults), a comedy, a sports movie, and a drama. The genres don’t always play well and sometimes it seems like it is lighter than it should be and other times it feels like it is too heavy for a light comedy. It is actually this strange dichotomy which makes the movie kind of unusual and interesting.
The cast was also young and growing when the film was made. All of the “Cutters” have continued to work. Despite being the “star” and strong in this movie, Dennis Christopher is probably the least recognizable of the Cutters (though he does have a steady stream of acting roles). The other Cutters all are quite developed in the relatively short movie. Dennis Quaid is the hothead, Daniel Stern is the one who hopes to get out, and Jackie Earle Haley is the “little guy” who is happy with his life in the city. The movie’s real dynamic is between Christopher and his father played by Paul Dooley who doesn’t know how to deal with his son. It is the subtle contrast of Barbara Barrie as the mother that helps her performance rise however. Other appearances include John Ashton, P.J. Soles, and Hart Bochner.
Unleash the Cutter inside!
The movie’s real star (especially for me) is Bloomington. Breaking Away does a great job with the racing and bike riding sequences, but it also captures the Indiana town. It is an ode to the city and the countryside of the Midwest.
Breaking Away was kind of a strange success. The little movie has a lot of Rocky in it and the whole plot, characters, and location leads up to the underdog story with a lot of feeling and great ending. Growing up and going to school in a community where there was a lot of different social groups being forced together, I can also see the struggle of Breaking Away…and the Cutters will always rule!
Related Links:
