Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: July 20, 1979
8.4
USER SCORE
Universal acclaim based on 17 Ratings
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Positive:
16
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0
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10
MarcDoyleAug 6, 2017
One of the all-time classics. I get dog-faced pretty much every time I watch. It just has that authentic feel about it - nothing is contrived. Would love to see it again on the big screen.
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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10
LamontRaymondJul 24, 2017
I'm so glad that the critics "got" this film. It's one of my 4 favorite sports films of all time, up there with Bad News Bears, Hoosiers, and Downhill Racer. I get chills every time I see the Italian race, and I get misty-eyed at theI'm so glad that the critics "got" this film. It's one of my 4 favorite sports films of all time, up there with Bad News Bears, Hoosiers, and Downhill Racer. I get chills every time I see the Italian race, and I get misty-eyed at the conclusion of "Little 500" - every time. Just a beautiful film. Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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10
WalterTSolleyFeb 3, 2018
One of the best films of the 1970’s. An exceptionally well-written story about the lives of a group of young men as they transition from high school to adulthood. That their futures will likely be dictated by their families’ limitations,One of the best films of the 1970’s. An exceptionally well-written story about the lives of a group of young men as they transition from high school to adulthood. That their futures will likely be dictated by their families’ limitations, adds resonance to this thoughtful comedy, and also serves as an indictment of the American dream. Children of quarry workers (known as “cutters”), in an Indiana town that is home to an Ivy League College, the economic disparity the boys are witness to daily only emphasizes their seemingly forgone futures. There are moments in this film that literally had contemporary audiences leaping from their seats to cheer. And though the movie’s unabashed sincerity may seem naive today, it is no less effective than it was in 1979. Superb performances, especially from Paul Dooley and Barbara Barrie, with breakout performances from Dennis Christopher and Jackie Earle Haley, it features an inspiring score, fantastic film editing, and brilliant direction. A moving, funny, sometimes heartbreaking rumination on American youth and family, that is more hopeful than most films of the decade, and more eloquent that most films, period. Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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9
FairbottomMay 24, 2018
Breaking away manages to do the seemingly impossible: it humanizes cyclists.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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