All Critics (34)
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Top Critics (5)
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Fresh (33)
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DVD (9)
There are a few moments when the picture's easygoing pace turns into wobbliness, but these are insignificant compared with its many moments of shrewd insight into the lives of amusingly shaded but very recognizable human beings.
Though its plot wins no points for originality, Breaking Away is a thoroughly delightful light comedy.
Peter Yates, previously typed as an action director, lends the film a fine, unexpected limpidity, and the principals are mostly excellent.
Breaking Away is a wonderfully sunny, funny, goofy, intelligent movie that makes you feel about as good as any movie in a long time. It is, in fact, a treasure.
Here is a movie so fresh and funny it didn't even need a big budget or a pedigree.
Rousing bicycle race story is a family favorite.
Breaking Away embraces the good old fashioned small town family values that would catapult Ronald Reagan to an enormously popular two term presidency. And still, I like it.
The triumphant ending teeters on twee, but feels warranted enough to give it a pass and enjoy the moment right along with him.
Christopher is so good in this quietly charming, Yates-drected tale of four high school graduates trying to decide what to do with their lives that it's a wonder he didn't achieve the heights of co-star Quaid.
The screenplay by Oscar-winner Steve Tesich sometimes turns a little precious, but the character and atmosphere is so firmly established that it all works out.
Displays the kind of unsentimental optimism that went out of fashion with Hawks.
This charming comedy shows sensitivity to American peculiarities and eccentricties in spite (or may be because) of the fact that it was scripted by a writer of foreign descent and helmed by a Brit, Peter Yates.
Despite a reasonably fun performance from Daniel Stern, Dennis Quaid earnest overacting sinks what could have been a quaint film about middle America.
Dennis Christopher is unforgettable in his one big film role.
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