Breaking Away Movie Essays Examples

The breaking away is a 1979 American comedy film that follows a group of teenagers who had just graduated from high school. The male characters are Dennis Christopher, Daniel Stern, Dennis Quaid, Barbara Barrie, Paul Dooley, and Jackie Haley. The film was captured around the Bloomington and the University. The movie has received a lot of positive reviews regarding its originality among other categories such as the best comedy of 1979. The movie is filled with good family, friend and life moments, this paper will provide an analysis based on these aspects.
The film stares with the characters clearing from high school and while out into a world where they are not aware of what to do next with their lives. Most of their time after high school is spent swimming at an old mining quarry that is full of water (Didinger, and Glen 42). It is at the quarry that they would constantly encounter university students from their home town who would refer to them as “cutters”. Dave, on the other hand, has an obsession for bicycle racing; this is because he had previously emerged as the best rider an Italian racer, in particular. His father is amazed by his interest in the Italian culture that Dave associated with his love for cycling. Despite his father lack of confidence and support, his mother, on the other hand, is supportive.
Further in the play, Dave develops a crush on a University student, in order to impress her; he pretends to be an Italian student as a means to get her attension. It is in his efforts to impress her that he serenades her through playing her music. It is during this encounter that Katerina’s boyfriend rounds up his friends and beats up Cyril who was playing the guitar mistaking him for Dave. Despite being beaten up by Rod, Katarina’s boyfriend, Cyril wants no problems; this is despite Mike emphasizes on tracking Rod down and starting a fight. The university’s head is then finds out about the encounter and bans the university students from participating in the annual university race (Ebert 20).
Dave on is however participating in the race where he is existed about participating where he will be competing against a professional racer. The Italian racers are shocked when they come to learn that Dave is an excellent rider since he can keep up with other the professionals and also speak excellently in Italian (Sullivan 38). On seeing this, one of the competitors through a pump on Dave’s wheel causing him to fall from his bike leaving him frustrated. It is due to that incident that he can now relate with his father’s unethical practices and learns that almost everyone cheats (Pahl 74). He then picks up and tries to recover from the huge gap that had been left in between him and other racers. He builds up his confidence and now takes the lead and emerges as the winner making the cutters proud. He later joins the university where meets a French student that he is interested and excited about.
Throughout the film, the role the characters play reflects on good entertainment and other moral values that are beneficial to the society. This is evident through the different encounters that the characters are involved with. The movie challenges the society and particularly teenagers who are yet to figure out what they aspire to do in life. The movie relates with a lot of issues that are currently taking place. This is especially among teenagers who are not sure about what they want to do with their lives soon as they clear from high school. Throughout the play, there are numerous moral issues that are addressed that affect a majority of teenagers around the world. The film breaking away movie is a family movie and is suitable for viewers of all ages. It is recommended that families relate to the different messages that the film passes. This is due to the rich content that is featured in the film through the life encounters of the teenager characters.
The film creates good entertainment for families since the encounters of the characters are interesting. This is due to the numerous challenges that they encounter due to their background. Throughout the film the characters are oppressed; this is because they are viewed as naïve high school graduates. Their oppression and degradation are because of how the more affiliated University graduates view them. The film challenges other teenagers in the society not to be oppressed by others due to their backgrounds. The movie tries to emphasize the need for individuals in the society not to lose focus due to people’s views. Different moral virtues such as patience are put across through how despite being thrown a pump on his wheel, Dave continues with the race. This is unlike how other individuals would have sorted for revenge. In spite of the numerous challenges the characters undergo, they emerge victorious. This clearly illustrates that there is always light at the end of the tunnel for the confident. Through the analysis provided, it is evident that the movie has a good appeal to family and friends.

Work Cited

Didinger, Ray, and Glen Macnow. The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies: Featuring the 100 Greatest Sports Films of All Time. Philadelphia, PA: Running Press Book Publishers, 2009. Print.
Ebert, Roger. Roger Ebert's Four-Star Reviews, 1967-2007. Kansas City, Mo: Andrews McMeel, 2007. Internet resource.
Pahl, Ron H. Breaking Away from the Textbook: Creative Ways to Teach World History. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2010. Print.
Sullivan, Tim. Battle on the Hudson: The Devils, the Rangers, and the Nhl's Greatest Series Ever. Chicago: Triumph Books, 2012. Internet resource.