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Poster for American Flyers

American Flyers

Two brothers challenge the road. And life itself.

1985 · 1h 53m · PG-13 Drama
Directed by John Badham

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Overview

When Dr. Marcus Sommers realizes that he and his troubled, estranged brother David may be prone a fatal brain disease that runs in their family, he decides to make peace with his sibling, and invites him on a trip to the Rockies. There, the brothers bond over their shared enthusiasm for cycling and decide to enter a grueling bike race through the mountains. However, Marcus' health soon begins to fail, and David must compete without his brother at his side.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
70%
Tomatometer
Rotten

Unfortunately, overblown production just pumps hot air in too many directions and comes up limp.

Variety Staff, Variety
Fresh

A pleasant, straight-down-the-road, cliche-ridden ride.

Wally Hammond, Time Out
Rotten

The performances aren't bad, but they aren't good enough to give the film the heft it doesn't otherwise have.

Vincent Canby, New York Times
Rotten

American Flyers is shaky at the core, because it tries to tap-dance around its own central issues.

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

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