Directed by Peter Yates
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Fox)
Dennis Christopher is an Indiana bicyclist fresh out of high school who idolizes Italian racers to the point of becoming Italian himself: he speaks Italian, listens to opera and romances a college girl using his fake persona. When the real Italians show up for a race, they win by cheating, crushing his loyalty. Later, he gets another chance in a race, this time representing the locals against their arch enemies: college frat boys. The ending should come as no surprise. And that is my chief complaint with this film: predictability in the screenplay. It also frequently relies on directorial cliches: the burst of music crossing the finish line, or the scene where Christopher is trying to keep up with a semi truck on the Interstate, suddenly popping into view in the rear view mirror; I knew both things were going to happen well in advance. Nonetheless, it's a genial, feel-good movie that is impossible not to like.
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