History Film / BreakingAway

The movie won an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Original Screenplay, and was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (for Barrie) and Best Adapted Score. While it was well received by critics, it wasn't a big hit at the box office, but it has become a cult favorite over the years, usually showing up on lists of best sports movies and most inspirational movies.

Dave, however, is different in some ways from his friends. He was a sickly boy until he started riding around on a bicycle, and has since become a championship racer. He's also become obsessed with the Italian racing team, to the point where [[FakeNationality he starts acting Italian]], to the bemusement of his mother Evelyn (Creator/BarbaraBarrie) and the consternation of his father Ray (Creator/PaulDooley), a used car salesman. It's also to the point where Dave passes himself off as an Italian exchange student when he becomes attracted to Katherine (Robyn Douglass), a student at the university. Dave is especially excited when he learns that the Italian team is coming to Bloomington for the university's annual Little 500 bicycle race. He's less excited when the cutters get entered into race, but events soon change his mind about that.

The movie won an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Original Screenplay, and was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (for Barrie) and Best Adapted Score. While it was well received by critics, it wasn't a big hit at the box office, but it has become a favorite over the years, usually showing up on lists of best sports movies and most inspirational movies.

''Breaking Away'' is a 1979 American {{dramedy}} film directed by Peter Yates, starring Creator/DennisChristopher, Creator/DennisQuaid, Creator/JackieEarleHaley and Creator/DanielStern.

Dave, however, is different in some ways from his friends. He was a sickly boy until he started riding around on a bicycle, and has since become a championship racer. He's also become obsessed with the Italian racing team, to the point where [[FakeNationality he starts acting Italian]], to the bemusement of his mother Evelyn (Barbara Barrie) and the consternation of his father Ray (Paul Dooley), a used car salesman. It's also to the point where Dave passes himself off as an Italian exchange student when he becomes attracted to Katherine (Robyn Douglass), a student at the university. Dave is especially excited when he learns that the Italian team is coming to Bloomington for the university's annual Little 500 bicycle race. He's less excited when the cutters get entered into race, but events soon change his mind about that.

* ExactWords: "Don't forget to punch the clock, shorty."

* HeightAngst: Moocher suffers from this.
* HereWeGoAgain: Dave spends the first two acts of the film obsessed with all things Italian, driving his dad and his friends crazy as he speaks the language at every opportunity and fooling Catherine into thinking he really is Italian. Once the Cinzano cycling team smash the pedestal on which he has placed them by insulting him and taking him out of the race, he reverts to speaking and acting like a typical Indiana boy. Then he starts his first year at IU and meets a French female student - and in the final scene, he has shifted his obsession to all things French.

* HereWeGoAgain: After spending the first two acts of the film bewailing Dave's obsession with all things Italian (including greeting him with "Buon giorno, Papa!"), Ray thinks he's finally over it... and then as he cycles past Dave on the IU campus and says hello to him, the now French-obsessed Dave calls back, "Bonjour, Papa!" The film ends on a freeze frame of Ray's "Oh God, not ''again!''" expression.

* BerserkButton: Do not, under any circumstances, make fun of Moocher's height. Especially don't call him "Shorty".

** Don't serve Ray any "ini" food. And above all, don't tell him he should give a refund for a bad car (REFUND?!?).

* CloudCuckoolander: Everyone thinks Dave has become this, but he really isn't; he's more of a BunnyEarsLawyer.
-->'''Neighbor:''' He used to be as normal as pumpkin pie. Now look at him. His poor parents.

* DeathGlare: After the Cutters and college kids have a fight, the college kids are chewed out by the university president, who tells them if they want to compete against the Cutters, they can do so at the Little 500 race. When Rod protests the Cutters aren't good enough, Mike's cop brother fixes him with a death glare.

* {{Fauxreigner}}: As mentioned above, Dave pretends he's an Italian exchange student named Enrico when he first meets Katherine, and he either speaks Italian or English in an Italian accent.

* IHaveNoSon: A rather funny version of this trope; Dave helps his father out at his car lot, and when a customer tries to return a car that doesn't work, and Ray won't take it back, Dave suggests maybe they should. Ray says to Dave, "Who are you?"
** Earlier in the movie, Ray is trying to sell a car to a customer when Dave rides by and shouts a greeting to Ray. Ray turns to the customer and says, "Friend of yours?"

* JerkJock: Rod.
** Played With. Rod Meets Every Jerk Jock Stereotype. However When he sees that Mike is clearly Seriously Hurt In Their race he shows obvious concern and seems ready to rescue him until his friends do. Once its clear Mike is safe he quietly leaves allowing Mike some dignity. Then he proved to be a gracious loser at the end of the Little 500.

* ShoutOut: Dave tries to rename their cat (named Jake) [[Creator/FedericoFellini Fellini]].
** Also, Mike at one point says, "[[Literature/TheThreeMusketeers All for one and one for all.]]"

* SmugSnake: Rod.
** Somewhat averted as well in that after taunting Mike during their swim race he stops and clearly shows concern after Mike hurts his head when hitting the rock. Totally averted at the end when he cheers for the cutters after narrowly losing the race.

* YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious: Ray knows something's up with Dave after his race with the Italians when Dave calls him "Dad" again instead of "papa".

-->'''Moocher:''' [[LampshadeHanging Wow. Hey, I didn't think people your age]]-

* DoubleMeaningTitle: Breaking Away is a bicycling term. But it also applies to the four guys trying to decide what to do with their lives.

Dave, however, is different in some ways from his friends. He was a sickly boy until he started riding around on a bicycle, and has since become a championship racer. He's also become obsessed with the Italian race team, to the point where [[FakeNationality he starts acting Italian]], to the bemusement of his mother Evelyn (Barbara Barrie) and the consternation of his father Ray (Paul Dooley), a used car salesman. It's also to the point where Dave passes himself off as an Italian exchange student when he becomes attracted to Katherine (Robyn Douglass), a student at the university. Dave is especially excited when he hears the Italian team is coming to Indiana for a major bicycle race. He's less excited when the cutters get entered into the Indiana University Little 500 bicycle race, but events soon change his mind about that.

''Breaking Away'' is a 1979 {{Dramedy}} directed by Peter Yates and starring Creator/DennisChristopher, Creator/DennisQuaid, Creator/JackieEarleHaley and Creator/DanielStern.

** Likewise, Kathy knows something's wrong when Dave calls her by her name instead of Katerina.

In Bloomington, Indiana, Dave Stohler (Christopher) and his friends -- Mike (Quaid), a former star high school quarterback; Moocher (Haley), who's kind but has a HairTriggerTemper; and lovable loser Cyril (Stern) -- mostly hang out at the local swimming hole. They can't afford to go to college (the local college is Indiana University), and they're looked down on by the students, who call Dave and his friends "cutters" (they're sons of the stone cutters who built the buildings at the university). In turn the cutters, particularly Mike, have a large chip on their shoulder toward the students.

In Bloomington, Indiana, Dave Stohler (Christopher) and his friends Mike (Quaid), a former star high school quarterback, Moocher (Haley), who's kind but has a HairTriggerTemper, and Cyril (Stern), a lovable loser, mostly hang out at the local swimming hole. They can't afford to go to college (the local college is Indiana University), and they're looked down on by the students, who call Dave and his friends "cutters" (they're sons of the stone cutters who built the buildings at the university). The cutters in turn, especially Mike, have a chip on their shoulder involving the college students.

* MeetCute: While studying Italian outside the campus, Dave notices Katherine. She rides off in her motor scooter, but one of her notebooks falls off. Dave gets on his bike, rides over, picks up the notebook, ''[[CrazyAwesome and chases her down on his bike while she's riding the scooter]]''. She's very impressed.

''Breaking Away'' is a 1979 {{Dramedy}} directed by Peter Yates and starring Creator/DennisQuaid, Dennis Christopher, Creator/JackieEarleHaley and Creator/DanielStern.

In Bloomington, Indiana, Dave Stoller (Christopher) and his friends Mike (Quaid), a former star high school quarterback, Moocher (Jackie Earle Haley), who's kind but with a HairTriggerTemper, and Cyril (Stern), a lovable loser, mostly hang out at the local swimming hole. They can't afford to go to college (the local college is Indiana University), and they're looked down on by the students, who call Dave and his friends "cutters" (they're sons of the stone cutters who built the buildings at the university). The cutters in turn, especially Mike, have a chip on their shoulder involving the college students.

-->'''Evelyn:''' So?

* AsHimself: Indiana U's real president at the time John W. Ryan chews the jocks out and opens the race to the cutters.