Yes, the movie is dated. Yes the movie is predictable. Yes, some of the acting is cheesey. And yes, it's an inspirational movie despite all that. I really enjoy this movie and manage to toss it into the VCR twice a year or so if for no other reason that I love to see the Colorado scenery go by during the race scenes and to hear the Star Spangled Banner .... Hey, they are playing our song!

This is the story of a type-A+ doctor/Olympic cycling team alternate (Kostner) and his unfocused-but-talented brother Danny and their somewhat wobbly voyage of male bonding, family catharsis and, of course, competitive cycling. We start with the annoyingly, eternally cowboy-hatted Danny getting a call from his estranged brother, a very skinny and huge-moustached Kostner (the pair in fact look far more like gay porn stars than athletes) informing him that he'll be visiting the family. We soon learn that their father has died of a cerebral hemorrhage and that each family member is bitter at the other for the way the final days were handled. Mom, worried that favorite son Danny may be next, has Kostner take Danny to his sports lab/university/hospital to check him out.

After a few more minutes of painful family pathos and the introduction of Rae Dawn Chong as Kostner's love interest, the focus soon turns to training for the Big Race, and '80 cliches start a-flowin'. To blaring, cheezy synth music, we see Danny overtrain to a horrifying degree at the sports lab to cheering Spandex-clad "athletes," the pair take goofy training rides (inexplicably spinning about a 140 cadence) replete with whooping and hollering, dog chases and Danny improbably pulling a mile-long wheelie while waving that freakin' hat, which he must have Velcroed to his head for the ride. Oh yeah, along the way they also pick up a beautiful hippie chick who, naturally, will soon become Danny's love interest/the film's gratuitous nudity.

The foursome finally get the team van to Colorado for the Big Race and there run into two of the most hilarious '80s stock characters ever: "The Cocky Bad Guy" in Cannibal and, of course, "The Russians." Who is more ridiculous is subjective. Cannibal rattles off some of the best bad one-liners in memory, charges photographers, and spends the most of the rest of his time either screaming or scowling. The lead Russian "cyclist" is a burly, furry giant in a hockey helmet, probably pushing about 290 pounds with 10 more in beard. About the only cliche' missing was a pre-race "wodka" chug and a diatribe against the evils of capitalism.

Mercifully, the film turns 180 degrees with the start of the race. For the next half-hour or so, we are treated to some of the most beautiful cycling footage ever. The remarkably well-done scenes of the racers duking it out in the red rocks of the mountains are simply exhilarating. It truly captures the essence of racing, the speed, the sprints, the pain, the fear, the flow--it kicks butt. The rest of the film, while as predictable as the sunrise, is still great fun.

Certainly, this film is not for everyone, and many will find it a truly painful experience. For me, though, the mix of hilarious '80s camp and incredible race footage make it a favorite.

Don't look for this movie to have great meaning or fantastic acting - look for it to be just what it was meant to be, an inspirational movie.

The story and the acting are not so great. It appears that in a lot of scenes that the actors were doing a screen test instead of making a movie. The typical screenwriting cliches are all there, and are what holds the movie together. A lot of the movie's logic doesn't hold up either. Why would Marcus, the doctor in the family test his younger brother David on an extremely strenuous treadmill marathon, knowing full well that he might die, and THEN run a CAT scan on him?

What is best about this movie is the music, and the beautiful Colorado scenery, before Colorado became one giant sprawl of a suburb. If you can enjoy this, then you can enjoy this movie.

I guess, people who really like stories about family coming together, overcoming adversity, and bittersweet endings will like this movie. I got annoyed with how cheesy it was and with the fact that I had the ending figured out very far in advance. I did not enjoy this movie, but I can understand why people might. If you are getting this to enjoy good cycling, forget it. If you really like sad stories, you may like this, but don't blame me if you don't.

However, at it's core, it's really about healing broken relationships. Like real life, the bicycle is only a vehicle that helps you get from one place to anohther. To a cyclist, it can be inspiring, yet to everyone it tells a deeper story.

Level 1: With books like "Fast Food Nation" and "Diet for a New America," among many others, blazing the trail for liberal post-consumer society revolutionaries to create all-organic farms and end corporate rule, etc., it becomes hard to appreciate, and quite easy to hate, some truly American traditions. Like McDONALDS. Now I know that if we look at what McD's does for our current society, it's quite easy to say that we would be better off without Brazilian "meat," fatty french fries, obesity, and everything else McDonalds brings to life. Gandalf: "Do not be too eager to deal out death and judgement." There are so many ambiguities about McDonalds, and everything, that we are not at all qualified to judge it. Perhaps the person that is going to lead a great cultural renaissance and create a harmonic utopia on earth will grow up in a Ronald McDonald house, no one knows. The point is that McDonald's is partially good, and this movies makes you remember that.

Level 2: The Hell of the West aka Coors Classic. Inspirational for any cyclist or racer. Those who have ridden the Morgul, Colorado National Monument, or Evans know, and those who see the movie will understand. When it's been 20 degrees and snowy for 2 straight weeks and I have trouble seeing the big races in July while slogging out hours on the trainer in the garage, I pop AF in, and am soon sprinting against Muzzen, Belov, and Sommers. Simply amazing

Level 3: Humor. You can't help but laugh with, and at, this movie, Especially when you visit the Jackie Robinson Sports Institute. "You're not dead yet, so die or do something."

Level 4: Randalph. I am quite frankly disappointed that none of my other fellow reviews (that I noticed) talked about the true gem of the movie. Randalph will NEVER cease to amaze. Randalph. see for yourself. Randalph.

Level 1: With books like "Fast Food Nation" and "Diet for a New America," among many others, blazing the trail for liberal post-consumer society revolutionaries to create all-organic farms and end corporate rule, etc., it becomes hard to appreciate, and quite easy to hate, some truly American traditions. Like McDONALDS. Now I know that if we look at what McD's does for our current society, it's quite easy to say that we would be better off without Brazilian "meat," fatty french fries, obesity, and everything else McDonalds brings to life. Gandalf: "Do not be too eager to deal out death and judgement." There are so many ambiguities about McDonalds, and everything, that we are not at all qualified to judge it. Perhaps the person that is going to lead a great cultural renaissance and create a harmonic utopia on earth will grow up in a Ronald McDonald house, no one knows. The point is that McDonald's is partially good, and this movies makes you remember that.

Level 2: The Hell of the West aka Coors Classic. Inspirational for any cyclist or racer. Those who have ridden the Morgul, Colorado National Monument, or Evans know, and those who see the movie will understand. When it's been 20 degrees and snowy for 2 straight weeks and I have trouble seeing the big races in July while slogging out hours on the trainer in the garage, I pop AF in, and am soon sprinting against Muzzen, Belov, and Sommers. Simply amazing

Level 3: Humor. You can't help but laugh with, and at, this movie, Especially when you visit the Jackie Robinson Sports Institute. "You're not dead yet, so die or do something."

Level 4: Randalph. I am quite frankly disappointed that none of my other fellow reviews (that I noticed) talked about the true gem of the movie. Randalph will NEVER cease to amaze. Randalph. see for yourself. Randalph.

Despite the simplicity of the story it is very well acted both by Costner and Grant (I believe) as his brother. There's a little romance, some comedy, plenty of adrenaline, and some heartfelt drama. And most importantly I come back to watch this film over and over again.

So I can't really rate it as a purchase but it's just a notch below.