Breaking Away

Released 1979
Stars Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern, Jackie Earle Haley, Paul Dooley
Directed by Peter Yates

Winning, unpretentious film about four college-age friends in Bloomington, Indiana, who don't know what to do with their lives; Dooley stands out in first-rate cast as Christopher's bewildered father. This sleeper hit really comes to life with an audience, may not play as well on TV. Steve Tesich's original screenplay won well-deserved Oscar; later spawned a brief TV series.

Summary by Leonard Maltin