Breaking Away

A 1979 sleeper that surprised everyone when it was nominated for Best Picture, Peter Yates' Breaking Away is the story of four youths in Bloomington, Indiana--whose fathers worked in the rock quarries (hence their nickname "cutters")--and their uneasy relationship with the local college kids. The film features standout performances from Dennis Christopher as Dave Stoller, a bicyclist who yearns to be Italian, Paul Dooley as his ulcer-stricken father, and Dennis Quaid as a jock who feels compelled to prove himself against the university athletes. Although it steadily builds toward a standard sports film finish--a climactic bicycle race between the "cutters" and the collegians--Breaking Away is really more of a delightful coming-of-age comedy-drama, well-deserving of its Best Screenplay Oscar for Steve Tesich's script. Presented in anamorphic widescreen, the soft-looking transfer is so-so, as is the Dolby Digital stereo soundtrack, and (excepting trailers) the disc contains no extras. Still, this heartwarming tale is definitely recommended. (R. Pitman)