Breaking Away (1979)

In the university town of Bloomington, Indiana, the line between the working class "cutters" and the affluent students of Indiana University is as stark as the limestone quarries that divide them. Four recent high school graduates - Dave, Mike, Cyril, and Moocher - are embroiled in this cultural dichotomy. These best friends, each with a distinct personality but bound by a common lack of direction, are the young faces of the working class, their parents having labored on the very limestone that built the university their children are now deemed unworthy of. Among the four, Dave emerges as an exception - a beacon of ambition and passion fueled by his love for competitive bicycle racing. He idolizes the Italian cycling team to the extent of adopting an Italian persona, earning both the fascination and bafflement of those around him, including his used car salesman father. Dave's infatuation with the Italian culture deepens when he meets and falls for Katherine Bennett, a university co-ed, and passes himself off as an Italian exchange student named Enrico Gismondi. Dave's world revolves around his bicycle, his friends, and his dreams of racing against his Italian idols, who are set to compete in an upcoming race in Indianapolis. However, when the race ends with unexpected consequences, Dave finds himself at crossroads. With Katherine, his parents, and his friends unwittingly influencing his decisions, he is forced to reassess his life and dreams. The story of Breaking Away is a delightful journey of self-discovery and ambition set against the backdrop of class struggle. With the university's annual bicycle endurance race looming, these four friends navigate the minefields of young adulthood, societal expectations, and local animosities, all while trying to make Dave's dreams come true.

Breaking Away is a comedy movie featuring Dennis Quaid and directed by Peter Yates.

It is possible to buy Breaking Away on AMC on Demand, Amazon Video, Apple TV, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Vudu and YouTube.