On A List of Movie Reviews
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American Flyers (1985)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
11/04, 5/08, 12/16
5/08:
American Flyers is fun to watch.
It's true that there are several corny Mentos-like moments. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for bicycle pictures.
Therefore, this one wins me over, especially during The Hell of the West race with authentic crashes. The
Coloradoan cinematography is wonderful, and the sight of the riders going through the roads over the Rocky
Mountains is vertiginously jarring.
Kevin Costner sports a rare, sexy moustache and plays his part well. David Grant is delightful and creates some
of the most dramatic bicycling scenes ever filmed. John Badham does a nice job of holding back the revelation
of Marcus' brain aneurysm until the right moment.
All in all, American Flyers has its share of ups and downs but remains a satisfying, enjoyable bicycling
experience.
12/16:
They should've made more bicycle pictures back then.
Raising my rating from '7' to '8', I love the story in American Flyers, and the cast is perfect. The
Hell of the West race is dramatic to watch, and the tactics used in the stages are technically correct and
sound. Kevin Costner, David Grant, Rae Dawn Chong, and Alexandra Paul are perfectly cast. Luca Bercovici, who
plays Cannibal, looks like Mario Cipollini the great Italian sprinter.
All in all, although it has a lot of Mentos-like moments, American Flyers is the best bicycling picture
made.