#643. Breaking Away (1979, Peter Yates)

Have I Seen It Before?: No


Thoughts Before Viewing: I'm really not sure what to expect with this one.  Haven't heard anything about it before.  I'm always down for a good buddy film (unless it's in the vein of The Big Chill (1983).).  What especially intrigues me is the fact this won best screenplay for 1979, which was a great year for film (winning over Apocalypse Now, Alien, Being There, All That Jazz, etc).

Running Time: 101 minutes
Directed By: Peter Yates
Written By: Steve Tesich
Primary Cast: Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern


My Thoughts: I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.  Part of me feared it would be a generic sports film but it's actually a coming-of-age tale.  A very good one at that.  These characters are plenty of fun to hang out with and there were intimate moments that any young adult can relate to.  My only main flaw is that it does turn strictly into a sport film in the final act.  Although I was invested enough in the main character to enjoy it, I wish it hadn't brushed off the other three characters.  I was invested into the entire group and wanted to see more resolution.  I feel like that diminished what would've otherwise been a great film.  Still, I really enjoyed this viewing and genuinely felt inspired throughout.



Does It Belong In The Book?: Yes.  Very good coming-of-age tale and a great late 70s time capsule.



My Rating: 7/10