Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this tale of redemption offers a lot in the way of scary, tense, and violent scenes. While no one gets critically injured, there's lots of fighting. Some kids may also want to imitate the dangerous things characters do in this film: Dave doesn't wear a bike helmet, use a bicycle headlight at night, or wear reflective clothing; he races in front of cars on a red light. During a bicycle race, a cyclist puts a bike pump in the spokes of Dave's wheel, causing him to crash. Dave races while injured.
Families can talk about why Dave felt the need to pretend to be someone he's not. Do you ever feel like doing that? When is that good and when could it be harmful? Do you know people who pretend to be someone they aren't?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Heather Boerner
With the fame and cult following enjoyed by repeat Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, it's hard to imagine a time when a teen cycling enthusiast would model his life after Italians. But that's just what Dave Stoller (Dennis Christopher) does in the Academy Award-winning film BREAKING AWAY.
Dave and his friends (notably a young and hunky Dennis Quaid as Mike, City Slickers veteran Daniel Stern as the self-deprecating Cyril, and 2006 Academy Award nominee for Little Children, Jackie Earl Haley) have just graduated from high school. While his buddies amuse themselves by swimming in the rock quarry, Dave has bigger plans. Having won a racing bicycle, Dave has dedicated his life to learning to race it. He reveres the top racers in the Italian team from Cinzano so much he speaks in a cheesy Italian accent, listens to Italian music, and irritates his former stone-cutter father (the wonderfully flustered Paul Dooley) by calling him "papa" instead of "dad." "He's never tired," Dave's dad laments comically. "He's never miserable."
While Dave's Italian act woos college girl Katherine (Robyn Douglass), his dedication to his new identity isn't enough to get him noticed by the Cinzano team. Disillusioned -- with snobby, bullying college kids there to rub it in -- he feels like he has a lot to prove to get the respect he deserves.
There are some wonderfully realistic touches to Breaking Away. Anyone who's spent any time with a teen knows they try on new identities like new outfits. But it's rare to see a film that shows a teen so deeply in the thrall of his latest obsession -- without it becoming something sinister or dangerous. Like the fact that there's no gratuitous nudity or sex in the film, Dave's love of cycling is innocent and pure. He's a character you can root for who still seems real. It makes this cycling movie much more than a good sports movie -- though it's that, as well. It's no surprise that Breaking Away won the Oscar for best writing, and was nominated for four more, including best director and best picture.
People who enjoy this movie may also enjoy The Goonies, The Outsiders, or Chariots of Fire.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentDave and Katherine kiss once. |
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ViolenceA lot of fighting and threats of violence between Dave and his friends and the local snobby college guys. Mike initiates a cafeteria-wide brawl after some college guys beat up Cyril off-screen. Lots of punching and kicking. Some blood is seen but no one is seriously injured. There are also some bike-related injuries: bruises, cuts, bleeding, and a near-miss with a car. During a swimming race, Mike hits his dead on a rock and almost drowns. Katherine slaps Dave. |
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LanguageSeveral swear words are used, including "s--t," "hell," "goddamn," "bastards," "son of a bitch," and "dammit." Characters also call others "retard," "p---y cop" and "s--thead." |
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Social BehaviorDave escapes into an Italian fantasy world and pretends to be Italian because he doesn't think the girl he likes will like him as he is. There's a lot of class tension, with college kids making fun of the working-class "cutters." In the end, Dave learns to be himself and to pursue his dreams despite discouragement and sabotage from those who are threatened by him. |
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CommercialismThe guys pass and comment on a very large billboard for Marlboro cigarettes. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoMike pretends to smoke cigarettes but doesn't. Others do smoke. |
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