Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘Breaking Away’: As Stirring as It Is Whimsical
PG | 1h 41min | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 20 July 1979 (USA)
Films about underdogs that are sports-oriented, particularly ones that relate to the American Dream, can be tricky to pull off. Some, such as 1976’s “Rocky” and 1981’s “Chariots of Fire,” can go on to become classics and deservedly so. Many others, however, can feel derivative and unauthentic, and in some cases, downright manipulative.
“Breaking Away” (1979) fits among the former camp a rare gem in a large pile of coal. It feels incredibly grounded in authenticity, as well as very earnest in its delivery. Some of today’s cynics would probably even say naive.